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Multicultural competence and identity in young immigrants and refugees in Oslo and New York City : challenges and assets

Jørgensen, Berit
Master thesis
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URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10642/1152
Date
2011
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  • LUI - Master i International education and development [102]
Abstract
This research project is aimed at providing insight into the life worlds of 16 young immigrants

and refugees currently residing in Oslo and New York City, specifically into how they see

themselves in terms of multicultural competence and identity related to their cross-cultural

experiences. Their stories reveal that individual acculturation cannot easily be put in a simple

box, model, or theory, since human development is much more complex than that. Yet there are

some indications that the interviewees of this study have some challenges and assets as well as

some identity issues in common, suggesting that there could be some support for expanding

Third Culture Kids (TCK) theory to include Cross-Cultural Kids (CCKs) in general. However,

more research is needed before one can start to apply the term “CCK theory”.

Second, this project researches the validity of some assumptions that the educational program

FLEXid is founded on. FLEXid aims at helping young migrants currently living in Norway

reflect on who they are, learn about which skills they may have, and help them deal with their

challenges and make choices about their lives. These assumptions are first, that the concept of

TCK can be applied to young immigrants and refugees in general, renaming them CCKs. The

study gives some support for this expansion. Second, children who move cross-culturally often

struggle with cross-pressure, which is far from true for all of the participants of this study. Third,

a program that allows for reflection of one’s multicultural experiences is useful in that it can give

greater awareness of one’s identity and competence. This seems to be a particularly relevant

assumption in both Oslo and NYC, since few of the interviewees had thought and/or talked in

depth about their multicultural experiences, and especially their assets. Many also lacked an

awareness of this before the interview. Also, since the methodology of FLEXid is based on

supporting individual reflection and not on giving answers, it should be relevant for a diverse

student group. Thus, the basic assumptions of FLEXid come across as valid in both settings,

although voluntary participation would be necessary to avoid ascribing a forced identity. Further

research is needed before transferring the program to NYC, since there are many more factors

that influence the success of a program than the ones that have been studied in this thesis.

The findings of this study should be valuable to both the majority and the minority population, to

teachers and students, to the field of research as well as to parents. Allowing a more resource

oriented focus on the life worlds of the new national citizens into public discourse as well as into

classrooms would benefit society in that it would help expand everyone’s worldview and thus

the growing into effective world citizens for all.
Description
Master i flerkulturell og internasjonal utdanning
Publisher
Høgskolen i Oslo. Avdeling for lærerutdanning og internasjonale studier

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