Research
“Betwixt and Between”: Hope and the meaning of school for asylum-seeking children in Sweden
Authors:
Malin Svensson ,
Migration and Health Unit, Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg, SE
Marita Eastmond
Migration and Health Unit, Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg; Department of Social Anthropology, School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE
Abstract
This study explores the sense of possibility as perceived by asylum-seeking children in Sweden in relation to education. An ethnographic approach brought out children’s own perspectives and motivations, and the hopes they pinned to attending school. It was found that the meaning of school related to children’s need of structure, a sense of belonging and a learning environment. However, their hopefulness was conditioned by their uncertain status as asylum seekers, worrying about being deported. This legal and emotional vulnerability and the limited attention of schools to their predicament risked undermining the benefits of their right to education.
How to Cite:
Svensson, M. and Eastmond, M., 2013. “Betwixt and Between”: Hope and the meaning of school for asylum-seeking children in Sweden. Nordic Journal of Migration Research, 3(3), pp.162–170. DOI: http://doi.org/10.2478/njmr-2013-0007
Published on
01 Sep 2013.
Peer Reviewed
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