Liminal Spaces of Temporary Dwellings: Transitioning to New Lives in Times of Crisis

The authors used interviews and video data to talk with Syrian children (age 11 – 15 years) living at a refugee center in Greece to hear their narratives of their lives. The authors were interested to discover how they arrived here and how they occupy this liminal space while their families seek a safe haven in Western Europe. The video ethnographies and informal interviews with the children revealed the complexities and uncertainties associated with being displaced in contemporary times. The narratives link displacement and survival in foreign lands and explore their personal stories about their journeys to this liminal space (refugee center in Greece), which has become a “waiting room” for their desired relocation in a western European country.