Research shows that returns of people that fled can positively influence post-war recoveries on country (Wahba 2021). Education is argued to be of special relevance for post-war recoveries in general. Attendance of children early childhood education (ECE) can play an important role for individuals and society, as participation is in general associated with a positive language, cognitive, and social development supporting a more successful educational career (e.g. Melhuish et al., 2015) and specifically important for the well-being in conflict zones (e.g. Osmanli et al., 2021). Disparities in ECE attendance, according to Boudon's work (1974), can be understood as the result of an interplay of the situation of the family (as supportive factors or barriers) and rational educational decisions. Apart from location and availability (e.g. Sixt 2013), disparities in attendance in ECE are often found with regard to, economic and cultural capital of parents (e.g. Adema et al. 2016) and for immigration countries also the migrant status of families (e.g. Müller et al. 2014). For conflict contexts, the role remigration plays for attendance in ECE and further trajectories has not been well researched. In this article we therefore analyze the role remigration and war-related international orientation plays for attendance in ECE in the Kosovan context. For more than 30 years Kosovo is classified as a crisis region, with different phases of war and stability, causing at least 4 different big waves of dynamic war- and crisis-related migration and remigration movements ( Hajdari and Krasniqi 2021). Studying inequalities in ECE attendance is of particular interest as children affected by big migrations waves in the 1990ies are now parents and in Kosovo (like in many conflict regions), with the exception of the preschool-year (age 5-6), non-compulsory, highly privatized and regional differences in availability can be found (Gjelaj et al., 2018). As studies reports on the risk of remigration to Kosovo in terms of reintegration, unemployment, economic situation (Möllers et al. 2017) as well as mental health and the associated loss of quality of life (Lersner et al. 2008) negative primary origin effects can be expected. However, when migration or war-related international personal encounter positively influenced parental acquisition of cultural and social capital (Farrell, Mahon and Mcdonagh, 2012) positive influence, in terms of educational aspiration and insights into the value of ECE, positive secondary origin effects seem plausible. 

Our questions and hypotheses are as follows: What is the relationship between international orientation on the part of parents and the likelihood of their children attending ECE in conflict contexts? To what extent does international orientation (as a result of conflict related migration) on the part of families and ECE explain differences in science achievement in the 4^th Grade?

In line with the theoretical framework, we have constructed regarding the impact of social origin on participation in ECE, we would expect international orientation to be associated with increased participation rates (Hypothesis 1). Given the transformation of the social background of these families, we would expect international orientation to be positively correlated with grade 4 math and science skills (Hypothesis 2).

To analyze disparities in patters of attendance in ECE related to war-caused migrations we use data from home survey and student questionnaire of the TIMSS 2019 for Kosovo were the parents and the 4th Grade students themselves (nstudents= 4496; average age was 9.9) also reported on early learning. As remigration was not asked in the survey specifically, we look at 2 indicators to analyze patterns of ECE attendance (min. 3 years, 60 %): Immigration to Kosovo (at least one family member born outside of Kosovo, 8 %) and language practice in families (Every day communication between mother and child in English, German, Italian or French language, 21 %). As these languages are not spoken in Kosovo but major emigration countries, we find it plausible to assume that language competences have been acquired as part of a migration related experience. We calculated logistic regression analysis on ECE attendance using the IEA IDB Analyzer, which allows for weighting and correct estimation of standard errors, given the c

We find no significant difference in ECE attendance in relation to the immigration of at least one member of the nuclear family. Migration-relevant linguistic family practices are associated with a 2.6 times higher chance of attending ECE, and significant effects remain even when controlling for education and occupational status of parents. Disparities related to educational and economic capital of families can also be confirmed. In the course of the study, it became apparent that the international orientation assumed here is an explanatory factor in its own right, thus emphasizing the relevance of context-specific analyses and the need for alternative theoretical frameworks as proposed here, and reinforcing the critique of the theories. By providing evidence for the assumptions of hybridity and for models of remigration with regard to choices and inequalities in ECE, the study also contributes to the migration debate. Recognizing the importance of an international orientation, including language diversity, c

Adema, W., Clarke, C., Thévenon, O., & Queisser, M. (2016). Who uses childcare? Background brief on inequalities in the use of formal early childhood education and care (ECEC) amony very yound children. Available online at https://www.oecd.org/els/family/Who_uses_childcare-Backgrounder_inequalities_formal_ECEC.pdf, checked on 11/22/2022. Boudon, R. (1974). Education, opportunity, and social inequality: Changing prospects in Western society. Wiley series in urban research. Wiley. Bourdieu, P. (2011 [ersch. 2010). The forms of capital (1986). In I. Szeman (Ed.), Cultural theory: An anthology (1st ed., pp. 81–93). Wiley-Blackwell. Gjelaj, M., Rraci, E., & Bajrami, K. (2018). Pre-school Education in Kosovo. Kosovo Education and Employment Network. http://www.kec-ks.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Edukimi-parashkollor-n%C3%AB-Kosov%C3%AB_ENG.pdf#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%20Kosovo%20Curriculum%20%28KC%29%2C%20pre-school%20education,are%20enrolled%20in%20pri-%20mary%20school%20by%20law. Farrell, M., Mahon, M., & McD