Parenting in refugee families: established-outsider dynamics from a transnational perspective

This empirical analysis delves into the complexities of transnational family relations and experiences of growing up in Somali refugee families in Germany from the parents’ perspective. By employing the theoretical framework of figurational analysis with a focus on established-outsider relations (Elias and Scotson, 1994), we gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of power and recognition. Using the documentary method and ethnography, our interpretations of three families reveal their simultaneous local and transnational establishment efforts. The figuration of ‘arrival families’ emerges from these efforts highlighting the shared intergenerational practices and orientations of refugees.