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Research Article
Tactical maneuvering and calculated risks: Independent child migrants and the complex terrain of flight
Article first published online: 11 JUN 2012
DOI: 10.1002/cad.20008
Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company
Issue
New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development
Special Issue: Independent Child Migration—Insights into Agency, Vulnerability, and Structure
Volume 2012, Issue 136, pages 13–27, Summer 2012
Additional Information
How to Cite
Denov, M. and Bryan, C. (2012), Tactical maneuvering and calculated risks: Independent child migrants and the complex terrain of flight. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2012: 13–27. doi: 10.1002/cad.20008
Publication History
- Issue published online: 11 JUN 2012
- Article first published online: 11 JUN 2012
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Abstract
Similar to refugees in general, independent child migrants are frequently constructed in academic and popular discourse as passive and powerless or as untrustworthy and potentially threatening. Such portrayals fail to capture how these youth actively navigate the complex experiences of forced migration. Drawing on interviews with independent child migrants who arrived in Canada and on the conceptual framework of social navigation, we argue that contrary to being powerless, and despite significant structural barriers, these youth deliberately and thoughtfully navigate flight by making strategic decisions and taking calculated risks thereby ensuring their survival and well-being. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.