How my Research Interests Have Evolved

In my last self-check in blog from September 25, I wrote about using the capstone project as an opportunity to explore an element of my big questions surrounding youth development for youth who experienced displacement. Although I didn't write this, I imagined this element would be some sort of problem: learning barriers, life transition challenges, unsupportive school systems, specters of trauma, pressures of assimilation/integration, etc. However, reading Victoria Restler and Eve Tuck has reshaped these thoughts.

Victoria's insights about metrics and their role in upholding systems made me think about current metrics surrounding displaced youth in the U.S., and how they see integration/assimilation of refugee youth as a measure for "successful" programming. In my experience, grant funders tend see learning barriers, transition challenges, etc., as manifestations of a lack of assimilation/integration. Why? The research points to it. 

After reading Eve Tuck, I'm finding myself wary of that research--the "evidence-based" theory and practice that emphasize the importance of integration, and that grant funders use to design their programming guidelines. 

The very last project I did at my old job was a two-week art camp for kids between the ages of 6-14 (split into two age categories) that one of my colleagues put together. Participating kids were all refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. The camp was a success, and it made me question the integration metric that ground programming for refugee/immigrant/asylum seeking youth. This questioning was because I witnessed these kids grow and glow in an environment that was culturally and linguistically relevant.

So, here's what I'm thinking for my capstone project. I want to read current literature that espouse the importance of integration for displaced youth in the United States. According to the literature, what are the avenues of integration? Is the literature damage or desire centered? And what systems does this lit help uphold?

Then, I want to begin imagining (and maybe find literature on) an alternative reality where integration is approached differently. Maybe, in order for newly arrived youth to call a new place "home", they need culturally and linguistically relevant educational/YDEV spaces. What would that look like? Are there any caveats? What do cultural and linguistic relevance mean?

These are my thoughts so far, which I think fall under the identity pillar.