Challenges and opportunities in researching the lives of young people on the move

Abstract

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.

English abstract

Challenges and opportunities in researching the lives of young people on the move

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.