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Paper short abstract:

To explore the wellbeing strategies of Syrian-Armenian children, young people and their families who have not only experienced displacement due to the Syrian war, but continue to be surrounded by multiple crises as well as narratives and expectations around what wellbeing has to mean

Paper long abstract:

This contribution seeks to put the spotlight on the wellbeing strategies of Syrian-Armenian children, young people and their families who have and continue to experience multiple crises: displacement due to the Syrian war and subsequent move to Armenia, the COVID-19 pandemic, the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, and even the repercussions of the war in Ukraine. I specifically explore how children in this context navigate, manage and shape various expectations and narratives by intergenerational family members, (transnational) peers, and other social actors, including those in the child welfare and migration system around their status as migrants or ‘refugees’, but also around what it means to be ‘good’ children and to do well in life.

The contribution is based on nine months of qualitative research in Yerevan, Armenia. The lived experiences of children and young people are explored through ethnographic, visual and participatory child-centred methods, which include play, draw-and-tell and photovoice. I investigate the wellbeing strategies of children of various ages and gender (from 3 through to young people aged 20) and the role of their family members, social workers, and other actors in the migration and child welfare fields. The research approach and methods were tailored to the abilities, preferences, and ages of the respondents, to account for power dynamics and ethics.