Abstract
Agency of children is not only a basic premise of sociology of childhood, but is also described by children themselves as being essential for a feeling of well-being. The following article aligns with the literature on well-being and agency within the context of unequal childhood in so far as it intends to shed light on this area of research by focussing on children with a migration background. Perspectives of children with a migration background in view of their life and their ideas of what a good life is all about have been rather neglected in recent literature. Nevertheless, social reports and empiric social research identify the life of children with a migration background as being characterised by social and structural disadvantages. This article analyses group discussions with children with a migration background in order to identify in which way collective patterns of orientation point to children’s acquisition of agency.
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- 1.
Special thanks to Beate Kutz, University of Osnabrück, and Saumya Pant, Bremen, for their support with translation and editing.
- 2.
Studies about the subjective well-being of children indicate in general a high level of well-being amongst children (Betz 2009a). A comparison of 29 rich countries shows that the values on the subjective feeling of children’s well-being are high, with an average of more than 85 %, although partly with considerable variance (UNICEF Office of Research 2013). About 95 % of the children interviewed in the Netherlands but only about 75 % of the children in Romania state a high satisfaction with life. With about 85 %, Germany ranks within the lower third of the Life Satisfaction League Table. In this regard, it must be taken in consideration that persons generally adapt to given situations and even tend to express their feeling of well-being when they actually suffer from unjust treatment. Children, in particular, tend to accept social inequalities as given conditions (cp. Betz 2009a; Albus et al. 2009). Furthermore, immigrant families tend to assess life conditions in relation to their life in their country of origin.
- 3.
On basis of a multi-level survey, Fattore et al. (2009) developed a model of children’s well-being. Together with a positive sense of self and security, agency, consequently, forms part of overarching dimensions of well-being. These are extended by further six subjects. In addition they stress the importance of children’s significant relationships and emotional life as underlying mediums “through which children understood experiences of well-being” (ibid, p. 61).
- 4.
On situations of life of children with a migration background, see DJI-Children longitudinal study (Alt 2006), Children Migration Report of the German Youth Institute (Cinar et al. 2013), 3rd World-Vision- Children Study (Andresen et al. 2013). So far, agency in childhood has been primarily analysed from the background of their later educational career (e.g. Westphal and Kämpfe 2013).
- 5.
Diefenbach (2010), for instance, represents a more critical perspective in view of lacking empirical proof.
- 6.
This question is subject of the international dissertation project “Childhood in the Context of Migration and Institutional Promotion” by Karin Kämpfe. The main purpose is finding out how children with a migration background address their idea of a good life as well as their experiences of institutional arrangements (here: tutorials for language). Within the frame of this project, group discussions were carried out with children with a migration background in Germany, France and the Netherlands.
- 7.
The data is analysed via documentary method developed by Ralf Bohnsack (2010) with an objective to explore collective patterns of orientations, offering clues to the tacit knowledge of the children.
- 8.
The names (Kupfer = copper, Schneeball = snowball) are related to the groups, however ensure at the same time their anonymity and confidentiality.
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Although the term orphanage is less common today, it still frequently appears in stories, films etc. With regards to the fact that children are given into institutional care outside the family, there are no indications that hint to their own experience or experience from the social environment.
- 10.
In colloquial language, Hartz IV is the expression used for basic security benefits granted to persons who are fit for employment and entitled to benefits.
- 11.
Adults, however, are not perceived as competent actors in an absolute manner.
- 12.
In addition to a monetary aspect, a good job is characterised by the fact that the activity was freely chosen, and is associated with pleasure which also increases achievement and productivity. The selection of job itself takes place within the scope of possibilities that is limited by the concepts of normality. In this manner, the desired job of a sales woman in the textile business for instance (Galina) reflects the concept of a normal feminine biography.
- 13.
In such a manner it is denied that the (supposedly) self-determined life of the goths and punks is a good life since it is reasoned that they would have been able to lead a “better” life.
- 14.
The quarrel is ended by Enisa (ENf). She explains to the group that wearing a headscarf becomes necessary with menstruation and not before when it “would not matter”. It is interesting to note that during the entire course of the argument only the occasion of the scarf is discussed but not its purpose. Furthermore, statements like “you should” or “you have to” point to a rather passive attitude.
- 15.
In the same way, a “bad” childhood does not necessarily lead to deviant behaviour in the future.
- 16.
Being afraid of stigmatisation implies fear that one might doubt their cognitive abilities. When children are born abroad the need of language support is ‘legitimised’ by the obvious fact of growing up in a foreign speaking surrounding. The need of language support by children born in Germany however asks for further clarifications.
- 17.
DaZ = Deutsch als Zweitsprache/German as a Second Language: here name of the tutorial.
- 18.
Although Rosalie classifies the tutorials for language as advantageous, it becomes evident in the following that she also suffered from being teased in this respect: “Well, first I always hated it because one of them with whom I always went to school he always said: “Haha, haha you have Da::-a:::Z!”. And I hated it. He always insulted me in one way or the other.”
- 19.
In view of the goal previously formulated, i.e. not to show any need of extra tutorials for language anymore and not to have to participate in the DaZ lessons any longer, the expression of being in an advantageous position when compared to the Not-DaZ children may be also interpreted as a result of pressure for legitimisation and required adaptation to the given circumstances.
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Kämpfe, K., Westphal, M. (2016). Acquiring Agency: Children’s Perspective Within the Context of Migration in Germany. In: Hunner-Kreisel, C., Bohne, S. (eds) Childhood, Youth and Migration. Children’s Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31111-1_5
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