Neither Here Nor There? Place and Placemaking in the Lives of Separated Children

Abstract

Of the approximate 18 million refugees worldwide, between 2 and 5% are estimated to be separated children, a figure which represents between 360,000 and 900,000 children. Place and placemaking represent vital components and realities during flight. The concept of place addresses the physical and social environments within which separated children move through and live in. Place and placemaking both include elements of physical setting, activity, and meaning, with placemaking specifically constituting the act of transforming the places one finds oneself into the places in which one lives. Drawing upon in-depth interviews and a focus group with 17 youth respondents living in Canada, this paper explores the realities of place and placemaking in the lives of separated children. In particular, the paper highlights the meaning and significance of place during flight. It examines the ways in which respondents 'made place' in contexts of violence and insecurity through social networks, through reliance on language and cultural traditions, and through place attachment and identity. Uncertainty continues to surround the concept and meaning of place and placemaking in large part due to their contextual and subjective nature. Furthermore, the notion of place is often under-explored and under-theorized when considering separated children’s experiences and realities.

Keywords: place, placemaking, separated children, refugees, youth, children (age groups), Canada