ERIC Number: EJ1433881
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0951-8398
EISSN: EISSN-1366-5898
Stories Told by Refugee Youth: Alternatives to Dominant Narratives
Minkyung Choi; Jihae Cha
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE), v37 n7 p1923-1941 2024
Stories of children moving in and out of refugee camps are not uncommon yet are often overshadowed by the dominant narratives of oppression, political failure, and war -- the stories "told of" rather than "told by" refugees. Dominant narratives on refugees largely shape perceptions about children and youth in displacement as vulnerable, voiceless, and passive. Instead, stories "told by" these populations highlight their identities as capable and determined. Employing a narrative approach to inquiry in relation to agency, this study seeks to understand how lived experiences of female refugee youth are shared through storytelling. Written narratives of 55 adolescent girls in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya revealed not only the complex and complicated circumstances of their educational journey but also their agency. This paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of storytelling, which enables us to better understand the needs of the displaced populations, but also their capabilities, aspirations and agency.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Refugees, Adolescents, Females, Personal Narratives, Story Telling, Educational Experience, Personal Autonomy, Aspiration, Ability, Environmental Influences, Gender Issues, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Elementary School Students, After School Programs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools; Grade 6; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kenya
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A