Conclusion to the 'Childhood and Migration' blog series

Over the last few weeks, we have published a series of blogs on the topic of 'childhood and migration,' edited by our members Adrienne Lee Atterberry (Union College, US) and Karina Ruiz (University of California Santa Cruz, US). In this concluding blog, Adrienne and Karina recap the main themes of the series, and identify avenues for future work on the subject.

August 7, 2024

Over the past few weeks, we have published a series of blogs presenting diverse perspectives

on, and experiences with, childhood and migration. Together, these blogs paint a picture of

childhood and migration that is reflective of societies across the globe and throughout history.

This blog series challenges notions of childhood as a qualified period of life and shows how

childhood exists in a myriad of ways. A shown across the various pieces, children are not a

separate sect of society but are, rather, entrenched in and impacted by the politics and practices

that govern daily life. Most importantly, the series highlights how children have been involved in

migration as subjects of governments, objects of investment, agents of their own lives, and

symbols of remembrance.

The authors have discussed how childhood is shaped by the distinct social and political climates

they migrate from; their experiences of migration, whether as unaccompanied children or with

their families; and the experiences of integration as children of migrants, or as migrants

themselves.

This series has shown how children experience many of the same factors faced by adults in

migration processes. At times it seems that being a child can create compounded effects.

Children experience both the unmitigated challenges of anti-immigrant sentiment and still do not

hold enough political and social capital to challenge the systems that impact them. Moreover,

children are often framed as martyrs of adults’ past crimes and visions of more just futures. If

children do hold some solutions to society’s present problems, they are not in positions to make

sufficient change.

Still, these works are full of hope. Children cull skills from their experiences and become adept

navigators of national legislation. They also become interlocutors with the adults who uphold

such policies. Children organize themselves and advocate for not only their own needs but also

those of their community.

Additionally, adults work to engage with children and to continue organizing and advocating for

children’s rights, whether as child migrants, as children of migrants, or as children impacted by

migration policies more broadly. Perhaps most directly, adults are often caregivers, teachers,

and mentors who act as both guardrails and safety nets for children’s wellbeing, seeking to

ensure children’s continued growth and movement.

Future work should continue to unpack the past and present legacies of childhood and

migration. More interrogations into the daily experiences and needs of children can culminate in

actionable data. These works show children across place and time have always and will

continue to move us forward. To aid their efforts, our scholarship and creativity should bolster

intergenerational collaboration. By working with children impacted by migration, the work of

adults can vow a recommitment to reparations, justice, and liberation.

Adrienne Lee Atterberry

Union College

atterbea@union.edu

atterberrya@gmail.com

Karina Ruiz

University of California Santa Cruz

kruiz8@ucsc.edu