Navigating cultural transitions during resettlement: the case of unaccompanied refugee minors

Abstract

IntroductionRefugees face the process of cross-cultural transitions upon arrival in their host country. This process is commonly referred to as acculturation and can be particularly challenging for asylum-seeking children and adolescent unaccompanied by a caregiver. To more effectively facilitate unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) resettlement, this study sought to obtain an enhanced understanding of the acculturation processes of these youth’.MethodsThus, interviews with 48 URMs, all of whom arrived before the age of 16 years, were analyzed in two steps. First, how the youth described their host country’s society and culture, followed by how they navigated within this societal and cultural landscape during resettlement.ResultsThe youth described how they navigated the Norwegian cultural and societal landscape by gaining cultural competence, adapting and finding ways to contribute, which made it easier for the youth to gain access to the society, to succeed as well as enhance their sense of agency. However, the youths also reported having to navigate between the expectations of their original and host country cultures, struggling with finding a balance between the two cultures.DiscussionThe youth’ acculturation processes seemed to be the result of both their own needs, wishes and behavior as well as specific features in their host country culture, which supports the notion that acculturation processes to some degree are context- and culture-dependent. Knowledge regarding the cultural and societal framework that these youth face and how they navigate within it during resettlement is critical for identifying possible cross-cultural challenges and promoting positive developmental tracks. To understand more about acculturation and integration processes, future research should include specific cultural and societal features as well as immigrants’ own perspectives and experiences during resettlement.

Fostering Well-Being in Resettled Communities: Cultivating Cultural Resilience and Sustainable Development in Resettlement Caused by Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project, Pakistan

“…This approach aligns with the findings of previous studies, that communities should play an active role in shaping their own futures, emphasizing the importance of communitydriven decision-making processes [103]. This statement emphasizes the importance of sustainable development activities with larger global goals that strive to promote a more equitable and sustainable global society [104]. The aforementioned notion is expanded upon by offering insights into the development of community-based organizations that advocate for the community's rights and enable various cultural and economic endeavors.…”

“…The aforementioned notion is expanded upon by offering insights into the development of community-based organizations that advocate for the community's rights and enable various cultural and economic endeavors. This study provides further evidence regarding the importance of long-term sustainability by highlighting the persistent elements of well-being and cultural resilience [104]. The preceding work makes a valuable contribution to the academic discourse on topics such as cultural resilience, sustainable development, resettling satisfaction, and ethical considerations in the context of resettlement.…”

Challenges in navigating the education-migration pathways, and subjective well-being of highly educated immigrants: the case of Indian student immigrants in the United Kingdom

“…Despite the limited studies examining the impact of home country culture on immigrants, some research suggests that immigrants often maintain their home country culture even after assimilating into the host society ( Contini and Carrera, 2022 ; Udayanga et al, 2023 ). Therefore, culturally formulated goals and perceptions of happiness can sometimes contradict with the cultural norms of the host society ( Contini and Carrera, 2022 ; Andersson and Øverlien, 2023 ).…”