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Young Migrants’ Educational Achievement: Moving to Inequality in Galway City, Ireland

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Movement, Mobilities, and Journeys

Part of the book series: Geographies of Children and Young People ((GCYP,volume 6))

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Abstract

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Ireland embarked upon a remarkable demographic transition from a country of emigration to one of immigration, as returning Irish nationals and migrants from other parts of the world arrived to take advantage of opportunities arising from the country’s unprecedented economic growth. Despite a return to net emigration since the economic downturn in 2008, a sizeable number of migrants have settled in communities throughout Ireland and have children who are currently moving through various stages of the education sector. This chapter focuses on the educational experiences of migrant teens in Galway, the most diverse city in Ireland. Using survey data collected from over 500 students and 200 parents, the research highlights the emergence of an achievement gap between young migrant students and their nonmigrant peers. In explaining this gap, particular attention is directed toward understanding the importance of school choice in educational outcomes. In particular, the chapter illustrates the ways in which practices of school enrollment can socially immobilize young migrants in the education system in Ireland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography and Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland

    Valerie Ledwith & Kathy Reilly

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  1. Valerie Ledwith
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  2. Kathy Reilly
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Correspondence to Valerie Ledwith .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Caitriona Ni Laoire

  2. College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Allen White

  3. Department of Geography, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore

    Tracey Skelton

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Ledwith, V., Reilly, K. (2017). Young Migrants’ Educational Achievement: Moving to Inequality in Galway City, Ireland. In: Ni Laoire, C., White, A., Skelton, T. (eds) Movement, Mobilities, and Journeys. Geographies of Children and Young People, vol 6. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-029-2_3

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