Relationships in a new country

A qualitative study of the social connections of refugee youth resettled in South Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID12601400
AuthorsHelena De Ansti (0000-0001-6451-3137, University of South Australia, corresponding author), Harry Savelsberg (0000-0002-3868-4108, University of South Australia), Tahereh Ziaian (0000-0003-3174-2405, University of South Australia)
Year2018
Volume22
Issue3
Pages346-362
Publication date2018-08-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Youth Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1367-6261 • E-ISSN: 1469-9680
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13676261.2018.1508824
OpenAlexW2886003493
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited16

Australia's approach to immigration, as internationally, is largely concerned with state sovereignty, border protection and restrictionism towards asylum seekers. However, with just under a million refugees currently residing in Australia, and with 13,750 more added to this number each year, there is also an interest in ensuring that those who are granted humanitarian protection are socially integrated. This article reports on a qualitative investigation of the integration experiences of 85 refugee adolescents aged 13–17 years resettled in Adelaide, South Australia. It explores, in particular, the role of social connectedness in the integration process. Relationships with family, ethnic group and host country are believed to affect multiple and interrelated integration outcomes including language acquisition, cultural knowledge, belonging, identity, civic engagement, social and economic participation, and access to public services. This research found that young people must negotiate the integration process with variable, and in many cases limited, support from the network of social connections surrounding them. We suggest that policy and programmes which strengthen the relationships young people have with others have the potential to enhance integration outcomes

Asylum seeker · Economic growth · Ethnic group · Identity (music · Immigration · Negotiation · Political science · Public relations · Qualitative research · Refugee · Social connectedness · Social integration · Social science · Sociology · Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees · Migration, Health and Trauma · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Psychology · Social Psychology

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