Open AccessChallenges and opportunities in researching the lives of young people on the move
Author(s) -
Moa Nyamwathi Lønning
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
barn
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2535-5449
pISSN - 0800-1669
DOI - 10.5324/barn.v37i1.3004
Subject(s) - ethnography , context (archaeology) , participant observation , sociology , exploratory research , focus group , field (mathematics) , public relations , focus (optics) , political science , social science , geography , anthropology , physics , mathematics , archaeology , pure mathematics , optics
This article explores different challenges and opportunities in researching the lives of young people on the move with a focus on ethics, context and methods. It addresses concerns raised by research with minors and individuals who are undocumented, and looks at the implications of migratory landscapes and particular field sites. Complexities of conducting research in a context marked by transience are also examined. Moreover, two approaches, ethnographic fieldwork and creative arts-based methods, are explored for their potential in such settings. It is maintained that challenges and opportunities arising when researching the lives of young people on the move can be best addressed with an integrated approach that employs participant-centred methods and that is exploratory, flexible and sensitive.