Since February 25 to 29, Sebastian Will, a PhD candidate from the Institute of Fiscal Science and Social Policy at the University of Freiburg, stayed at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań. The German researcher focuses on the relationships between home ownership or renting, and the subjective well-being. He visited Poznań as part of the “Seeking a new language. Narratives on home, (forced) migration and identity of newcoming Ukrainian youth to European cities” project, coordinating international survey research on the refugee experiences of Ukrainian youth. A part of Sebastian Will’s visit was a meeting with Dr. Konstiantyn Mazur from the AMU International Cooperation Section. The discussion was about individuals and organisations that could support the distribution of an online survey among the Ukrainian community in Poznań.
The “Seeking a new language” project aims to identify and understand how Ukrainian youth (aged 18-24) fleeing war narrate their migration and settlement processes in urban communities, especially in Poznań, Thessaloniki (Greece), and Freiburg (Germany).
Focusing on metaphorization and narrative construction is intended to recognize essential tools for adaptation and integration into new environments. The research team consists of individuals at various academic stages and from different fields, including sociology, social anthropology, and economics, from institutions such as Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Dr Jacek Kubera – project leader, Dr Maciej Frąckowiak, Olena Martynchuk, PhD Candidate, Dr Małgorzata Kubacka), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Dr Georgia Sarikoudi), and the University of Freiburg (Sebastian Will, PhD Candidate). The EPICUR Alliance funds the project to enhance international cooperation and knowledge exchange among the network’s universities.
The mentioned online survey, which brought Will to Poznań, covers a wide range of topics focusing on the migratory experiences of Ukrainian youth. These can be divided into three main areas: the history and reasons for migration including questions about their migration stories and plans; integration and social interactions focusing on language use within the family, language skills in the new environment, access to information about refugee status, support in finding accommodation, interactions between refugees and local youth, and general attitudes towards integration; and living conditions, covering housing, education, employment, demographic data, and overall satisfaction with life in the new place. The survey targets individuals aged 18-24 who left Ukraine after February 2022.
In Poznań, Thessaloniki, and Freiburg, other research activities are underway: desk research studies, photographically assisted biographical interviews with Ukrainian youth, and focus groups conducted with individuals responsible for implementing refugee policies since the war in Ukraine. All these activities will lead to outcomes that include preparing a preliminary version of a scientific article, developing an EPICUR academic course on migration, research-inspired artistic activities (zines), and a report summarizing key findings and recommendations from the research. These results will be presented, among others, at the beginning of July in Strasbourg (during the so-called Open Science Day), allowing for a wide sharing of the knowledge and experiences gained.
The photo above shows Sebastian Will (left) with Dr. Maciej Frąckowiak from AMU.
Copyright: Przemysław Stanula, AMU.
