This paper presents preliminary findings from the research project, A Part and Apart? Education and social inclusion of refugee children and youth in Iceland (ESRCI). This inter-disciplinary, multi-year project, that was one of four projects to be awarded by the Icelandic Research Council in 2023 as a "Grant of Excellence" seeks to critically explore the education and social inclusion of Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and youth at pre-, compulsory and upper secondary levels and the structures created for their learning and wellbeing in their social and educational settings.

In collaboration with the UNHCR, in 2015 the Icelandic government invited around forty families fleeing the wars in Syria and Iraq to immigrate to Iceland. These so-called "Quota Refugees" settled in elven different municipalities around the country as part of state agreements with those municipalities.  

Findings of previous research in Iceland have revealed multiple challenges that refugee children face in Icelandic schools and society, but also educational and social success (Hama, 2020; Hariri et al., 2020; Ragnarsdóttir & Hama, 2018). Compared to most European countries, Iceland has had a limited experience with immigration. While there has been some research on refugee groups in Iceland, ESRCI is the first extensive inter-disciplinary research . The project is directed by the overarching research question: How do the education system and socio-cultural environments in Iceland contribute to the education and social inclusion of refugee children and youth?  I am one of the two principal investigators of this project. 

The project is divided into four pillars. I am responsible for he fourth which is Cultural and Historical Backgrounds of Syrian and Iraqi Refugee Children and Youth.Drawing on evidence, material and data related to the theme in this pillar, the paper aims to explore how the specific traumas of war and displacement impact the acclimation of these refugees and how their cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds may influence what their overall experience in Iceland.

Research questions include:  

1: What is the nature of refugee children’s and youth’s experience with the integration processes in Iceland?

2: How does displacement and the memory of war impact their social and educational development?  
3: How do the schools accommodate these children‘s traumatic experiences andwhich linguistically and culturally responsive practices are in place? 
4: How are the children’s and youth’s cultural needs addressed, both in school policy and practice? 

Utilizing the methodology of comparative global history (Lim, 2022) and Immigration and Migration Studies (Hamlin 2021), this paper will evaluate how the social and historical backgrounds of these refugeee children affect their experiences in and out of school. Given the difficult exposure to war and violence and the physical hardship of flight and migration, it has taken these children a considerable time to adapt to these new surroundings and put their trust in the relevant educational authorities. Though their may be commonalities in all immigrant and refugee experiences, particularly in a small and homogenous country like Iceland, I am particularly interested in what makes this a Syrian or Iraqi story. How does their country of origin impact their experiences?  Though they are surviving, are they thriving in Icelandic society? And if not, why not? All to often, Icelanders tend to put the blame on immigrants for not being able to adapt to Icelandic society. But is there something about Icelandic culture that makes it difficult for Syrians and Iraqis to be the best version of themselves? How are the schools building on their social and historical resources to best take advantage of this new situation? 

The qualitative ESRCI research project involves Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and youth of different genders and their parents who have diverse educational and socio-economic backgrounds, altogether 40 families with children in schools at one or more levels (pre-, compulsory and upper secondary) in eleven municipalities in Iceland, as well as the children’s teachers, principals and where relevant, school counsellors in the children’s schools, municipality persons, social services and NGOs. The eleven municipalities are located in different parts of Iceland: Southwest (Capital area), Northwest, West Fjords, Northeast, East and South Iceland. Purposive sampling was used to select the families and information on the participants obtained from authorities (Stjórnarráð Íslands, n.d.). Multiple case studies are conducted with quota refugee children and youth in altogether 40 families in eleven municipalities in urban and rural contexts in Iceland. Each of the 40 families is considered to be one case. According to Stake (2005), a case study is frequently chosen as it draws attention to what in particular can be learned from a particular case. Semi-structured in-depth and focus group interviews (Morgan, 1997) are used for data collection, using interview guides developed by the research team. Emphasis is put on exploring the children’s voices, including child friendly, emancipatory approaches in addition to semi-structured in-depth interviews with children (age 12-18). To ensure children’s participation and agency, data is also collected through active instruments such as participatory place-based methods, child led tour “walk-along” interviews and short diaries and narratives (Dennis, et al, 2009). The analytical process takes place concurrently throughout the research period. My training as a historian of modern Middle Eastern history who has a joint appointment at the University of Iceland and Williams College in the United States, I will evaluate the data from these interviews to consider how Syrian and Iraqi historical experiences factor into their time in Iceland.

The paper presents preliminary findings and interpretations from data collected in the eleven municipalities in Iceland. The findings reveal various challenges that the children and families experience in acclimating to new surroundings and to process the trauma of war, displacement, and exile. Further, this paper will evaluate how the specifically the cultural, religious, environmental and political backgrounds of these refugees contrasts with other resettlement communities particularly how they deal with their encounters with racism and Islamophobia. These intense cultural negotiations and the development of new forms of identities as as general well being at school are dependent on many different factors, including teaching practices, level of participation and inclusion, communication with peer groups, as well as cultural issues. The children who experience exclusion or other obstacles at school are often less motivated to learn the new language. However, some of the children have progressed in their studies and are active participants in social activities at school.

Baczko, A, Dorronsoro G., Quesnay, A Civil War in Syria: Mobilization and Competing Social Orders. 1st ed. Cambridge University Press, 2017. Burns, T. (2008). Education and migration background research synthesis. Paris: OECD. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/37/53/40636545.pdf Daoudy, M. The Origins of the Syrian Conflict: Climate Change and Human Security. Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Gay, G. (2010). Classroom practices for teaching diversity: An example from Washington State (United States). In Educating teachers for diversity: Meeting the challenge (pp. 257–279). París: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/educating-teachers-for-diversity_9789264079731-en Hama, S. R. (2020). Experiences and expectations of successful immigrant and refugee students while in upper secondary schools in Iceland [Doctoral dissertation, University of Iceland]. Opin vísindi. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2182 Hariri, K. E., Gunnþórsdóttir, H. & Meckl, M. (2020). Syrian students at the Arctic circle in Iceland. In N. Yeasmin, W. Hasanat, J. Brzozowski  & S. Kirchner (Eds.), Immigration in the circumpolar north: integration and resilience. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429344275  Keyel, J. Resettled Iraqi Refugees in the United States : War, Refuge, Belonging, Participation, and Protest. Forced Migration, Volume 47. New York: Berghahn Books, 2023. Kohlbacher, J. & Schiocchet, L. (eds.) From Destination to Integration : Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi Refugees in Vienna. Isr- Forschungsberichte, Heft 45. Wien: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2017. Mazur, K Revolution in Syria : Identity, Networks, and Repression: Cambridge University Press, 2021 Ragnarsdóttir, H. & Hama, S. R. (2018). Refugee children in Icelandic schools: Experiences of families and schools. In H. Ragnarsdóttir & S. Lefever (Eds.), Icelandic studies on diversity and social justice in education (pp. 82–104). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press. Ragnarsdóttir, H. & Schmidt, C. (2014). Introduction. In H. Ragnarsdóttir & C. Schmidt (Eds.), Learning spaces for social justice: International perspectives on exemplary practices from preschool to secondary school (pp. 1–8). London: A Trentham Book. Institute of Education Press. Saleh, Z. Return to Ruin : Iraqi Narratives of Exile and Nostalgia. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2021. Sarkin, J. The Conflict in Syria and the Failure of International Law to Protect People Globally : Mass Atrocities, Enforced Disappearances, and Arbitrary Detentions / Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2022.