Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 19th Aug 2026, 21:28:49 EET
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07 SES 05 C: Families Navigating Migration and Education Across Contexts
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07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Paper Intergenerational and Intercultural experiences of Migrant Chinese Families in the UK University of Manchester, United Kingdom Presenting Author:This presentation reports on a doctoral research project exploring the intergenerational and intercultural dynamics within Chinese migrant families living in the UK. The project focuses on families in which parents are adult migrants from China and children have spent most, if not all, of their lives in the UK. These families present an important yet under-researched site for intercultural research, as they are shaped by intersecting processes of migration, language, intergenerational and cultural negotiation. The study is situated within the ethnic Chinese communities in the UK, a population which continues to grow rapidly but is under studied (Huang and Lamb, 2015). Earlier research which explored UK-Chinese families often presented the Chinese in the UK as a homogenous group and often used an essentialist frameworks of culture to explain behaviours (e.g. Sham and Woodrow, 1998). Given the diversity of Chinese people who live in the UK today, a non-essentialist, more critical understanding of culture can shed more light on these families’ experiences. Although migration is a common practice, and it has been identified by migration scholars that the family is central to the migration process (Scocco, 2022), surprisingly few studies actually explore what is happening within the family after migration. This study addresses this gap by focusing on the everyday lived experiences and the intergenerational intercultural relationships of migrant parents and children. This study is guided by the research questions:
The study aims to explore how family cultures emerge and are shaped within UK-Chinese migrant families and how intercultural dynamics are played out in intergenerational relationships. It aims to shed light on the diversity and complexity of UK-Chinese family cultures. It aims to contribute to intercultural education research by offering a non-essentialist, ecological account of migrant family experiences. The study is grounded in an ecologically oriented, non-essentialist approach. Drawing on Holliday’s (1999) small cultures paradigm, family cultures are understood as emergent, locally situated practices rather than as expressions of fixed or homogenous cultural identities. This perspective resists deficit or essentialist representations of migrant families and aligns with social justice concerns around representation and voice. The study further adopted Holliday’s Grammar of Culture (2011) as a conceptual framework to understand how shaping influences within the families environment interact and how fixed ideas of culture (large culture) can shape small culture formation. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study adopted a qualitative case study design involving five UK-Chinese families. Families were recruited and selected to reflect diversity in migration histories and linguistic and cultural practices within the UK-Chinese community. Each case study involved one parent and one child aged over 16, as active participants, enabling an explicit focus on intergenerational perspectives. Data were generated through a series of multilingual interviews conducted over six months. Interviews were carried out in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, depending on participants’ linguistic preferences, in order to support participant voice and reduce linguistic power imbalances. Both individual and group interviews were conducted, allowing for exploration of personal experiences as well as shared family narratives. The use of multilingual interviews is a methodological choice aligned with intercultural and social justice principles, recognising language as central to identity, power, and participation in research. It also reflects the everyday multilingual realities of the families involved. Data analysis was conducted using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2021). This approach allowed for an iterative, interpretive engagement with the data and explicitly acknowledged the researcher’s positionality as a member of the UK-Chinese community too. Reflexivity was maintained throughout data generation and analysis, with attention paid to how the researchers own experiences as a second-generation migrant informed the interpretation of participants’ accounts. Through this analytic process, five key shaping influences on the families’ small cultures were identified: education; religion; identity and cultural values; language and communication; and personal trajectories. These themes provided an analytical structure for examining how intercultural intergenerational relationships are negotiated within everyday family life. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The findings of this study demonstrate that the family cultures of UK-Chinese migrant families are shaped through complex interactions between intergenerational relationships and wider social, educational, and cultural contexts. Interculturality within these families is not experienced as a static difference between “Chinese” and “British” cultures, but as an ongoing process of negotiated of everyday practices. This process is coined as intergenerational interculturality within this work. The analysis highlights how parents and children draw on both lived realities and large cultural constructs to make sense of their intergenerational intercultural experiences. While family cultures are emergent and not fixed, participants also mobilise broader cultural discourses such as ideas about education, language, and identity, to explain intergenerational tensions and alignments. This reveals how even under a non-essentialist framework, we can see how large culture narratives continue to shape meaning-making. By foregrounding family life as a key site of intercultural learning, the study contributes to social justice–oriented intercultural education research that moves beyond institutional settings. It offers insights into how intergenerational relationships within migrant families can both reproduce and challenge dominant cultural expectations. The study makes an original contribution by providing an in-depth, ecologically informed account of an under-researched community and by highlighting the importance of intergenerational interculturality in understanding migrant experiences. These findings have implications for researchers, educators, and policymakers seeking to engage more critically and ethically with migrant families and to develop intercultural education approaches grounded in lived experience rather than cultural stereotypes. References Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328–352. Holliday, A. (1999). Small cultures. Applied Linguistics, 20(2), pp.237–264. Holliday, A. (2011). Intercultural Communication and Ideology. London: Sage Huang, C.Y. and Lamb, M.E. (2015). Acculturation and Parenting in First-Generation Chinese Immigrants in the United Kingdom. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(1), pp.150–167. Scocco, M. (2022). Migrant families and intergenerational relationships: cultural challenges, renegotiation practices and social change. Educazione Interculturale-Teorie, 20(2). pp.1-11. Sham, S. and Woodrow, D. (1998). Chinese children and their families in England. Research Papers in Education, 13(2), pp.203–225. 07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Paper Family Decision-Making on Preschool Education Attendance in Rural China: A Multi-Case Study of Two Villages in Ningxia Province University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom Presenting Author:Despite sustained policy efforts to expand preschool education (PSE) provision in rural China, disparities between urban and rural areas persist. While recent reforms have significantly increased the number of kindergartens and improved affordability, uneven patterns of participation remain. Existing research and policy interventions have largely conceptualised access to PSE in terms of enrolment rates and have prioritised supply-side expansion. Far less attention has been paid to how rural families make decisions about when, where and for how long their children attend preschool, even in contexts where formal provision exists. This study addresses this gap by examining rural families’ decision-making processes regarding preschool education attendance from the perspective of parents themselves. Drawing on qualitative case studies of two rural villages in Ningxia Province, north-western China, the research foregrounds parents’ lived experiences and locally constructed meanings of PSE. Although children in both villages generally participated in some form of preschool education, substantial differences emerged in enrolment timing, duration and location, revealing forms of inequality that are not captured by enrolment statistics alone. Guided by four research questions, the study explores: (1) parents’ expectations and perceived benefits of PSE; (2) the factors shaping parental decision-making; (3) how these factors interact to produce concrete decisions regarding preschool attendance; and (4) how local governments might better incorporate families’ voices to improve PSE access. The findings show that parents in both villages shared a common primary need for PSE: preparing children for primary school within an exam-oriented education system. Only when this primary need was perceived to be met did parents articulate secondary needs, such as safety and wellbeing, social and language development, or the cultivation of learning interest. Importantly, these secondary needs were non-linear and highly context-dependent. The study further demonstrates that parental expectations and perceived benefits are shaped through socially structured mechanisms. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus and capital, the analysis shows how rural parents’ educational aspirations for upward social mobility coexist with constrained expectations and a bounded capacity to act. In more remote villages, limited economic resources, caregiving obligations and restricted mobility led parents to delay enrolment or limit participation to one year of preschool. In contrast, families located closer to urban centres were more likely to enrol children at age three and sustain longer participation, supported by greater spatial opportunity and an “in-between” rural–urban identity. By conceptualising PSE through a supply–demand lens, the study argues that persistent inequalities are not simply the result of insufficient provision, but of a mismatch between policy-driven supply and families’ differentiated needs and capacities. The findings highlight the importance of moving beyond supply-oriented solutions and towards context-sensitive approaches that engage with parents’ lived realities. By foregrounding rural parents’ voices, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of PSE participation and offers insights for policymakers seeking to improve equitable access in structurally unequal contexts. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study adopts a qualitative multi-case study design to examine family decision-making regarding preschool education attendance in rural China. Two rural villages in Ningxia Province were selected through purposive sampling to capture variation in geographical location, economic conditions, access to educational resources and levels of urbanisation. While both villages were classified as rural, one was located in close proximity to an urban centre, whereas the other was more remote. This design enabled an in-depth exploration of how differing local contexts shape parental decision-making processes without adopting a comparative or evaluative framework. Data collection combined semi-structured interviews with a creative participatory method. Eighteen participants were involved: fourteen parents of preschool-aged children, two preschool staff members and two Directors of Villagers’ Committees. Parents were the primary focus of the study, as they are the key decision-makers regarding children’s preschool attendance. Preschool staff and local governance actors were included to provide contextual and institutional perspectives and to support data triangulation. Semi-structured interviews explored parents’ expectations of PSE, perceived benefits and risks, family economic circumstances, caregiving responsibilities, and experiences with local preschool provision. To complement verbal accounts, parents were invited to draw pie charts representing the relative importance of different factors influencing their decisions. This visual elicitation method facilitated reflection and discussion and helped to make implicit decision-making processes more explicit. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and anonymised. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach. Analysis was iterative and interpretive, combining inductive coding with theoretically informed interpretation. In later stages, Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital and field were used as sensitising tools to examine how parents’ dispositions, resources and social positioning interacted with local educational opportunity structures. This approach enabled a nuanced analysis of how structural constraints and subjective interpretations jointly shaped parental decisions regarding preschool attendance. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings This study demonstrates that rural families’ decisions about preschool education attendance in China cannot be understood solely through measures of enrolment or availability. Even where preschool provision exists, families’ choices regarding when, where and for how long children attend preschool are shaped by a complex interplay of expectations, perceived benefits, family circumstances and structural constraints. The findings show that parents across both villages shared a common primary expectation of PSE as preparation for primary school, reflecting the enduring association between education and upward social mobility in China. However, secondary needs varied significantly across contexts and were activated only when the primary function of school readiness was secured. These needs were non-linear and locally constructed, highlighting the importance of contextualised analysis. By applying Bourdieu’s theoretical framework, the study illustrates how rural parents’ aspirations coexist with constrained expectations and a bounded capacity to act. Structural inequalities related to geography, economic resources, caregiving responsibilities and mobility shaped parents’ sense of what was realistically achievable, producing differentiated patterns of preschool participation. Importantly, these findings challenge policy narratives that attribute low or uneven participation to parental attitudes or lack of awareness. The study argues that improving equitable access to PSE in rural China requires addressing both supply and demand. While continued investment in provision remains important, policies must also engage with families’ lived realities, differentiated needs and constrained capacities. Incorporating parents’ voices into local policy design and implementation may help align institutional provision more closely with family demand. By offering an empirically grounded, theoretically informed account of rural parental decision-making, this research contributes to international discussions on early childhood education, educational inequality and family–policy relations. It highlights the value of moving beyond enrolment metrics towards a more nuanced understanding of access in contexts of structural inequality. References Appadurai, A. (2004). The capacity to aspire: Culture and the terms of recognition. In V. Rao & M. Walton (Eds.), Culture and public action (pp. 59–84). Stanford University Press. Bourdieu, P. (1990). The logic of practice. Stanford University Press. Bourdieu, P. (1996). The state nobility: Elite schools in the field of power. Polity Press. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE. Deng, Z., & Peng, Z. (2020). Early childhood education and care in China: History, policy and reform. Early Years, 40(3), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2018.1479983 Elman, B. A. (2000). A cultural history of civil examinations in late imperial China. University of California Press. Ho, P. T. (1962). The ladder of success in imperial China: Aspects of social mobility, 1368–1911. Columbia University Press. Jenkins, R. (2014). Social identity (4th ed.). Routledge. Liu, Y. (2017). Preschool education in China: Development, policy and reform. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 11(1), 1–13. Qi, X., & Melhuish, E. (2017). Early childhood education and care in China: History, current trends and challenges. Early Years, 37(3), 268–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2016.1236780 Rao, N., Sun, J., Wong, J. M. S., & Weekes, B. (2012). Early childhood education and child development in four countries in East Asia and the Pacific. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(3), 403–417. Schucksmith, M. (2006). Young people and social exclusion in rural areas. Sociologia Ruralis, 46(3), 193–212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2006.00403.x State Council of China. (2010). Several opinions on the development of preschool education. Beijing. UNESCO. (2012). International standard classification of education: ISCED 2011. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Vong, K. I., & Li, J. (2016). Parental perspectives on early childhood education in China. Early Years, 36(2), 155–170. Xu, J., Zhou, X., & Fan, X. (2010). The household registration system and education inequality in China. Chinese Sociological Review, 42(4), 45–68. 07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Paper Syrian and Iraqi Families Trajectories: Experiences of Migration and Resettlement University of Iceland, Iceland Presenting Author:Migration to Iceland has grown rapidly in recent years, including asylum-seekers and refugees. This paper explores the trajectories of Syrian and Iraqi refugee families during their time of migration and resettlement in Iceland. The aim of the research is to explore how six refugee families from Syria and Iraq who resettled in Iceland in 2016-2020 have managed to adjust to their new social, cultural and educational context and what challenges and opportunities they have faced during these transitions. These families have children at different ages and have experienced the different levels of the education systems with their children. The research questions are:
The paper derives from the research project, A Part and Apart? Education and social inclusion of refugee children and youth in Iceland (ESRCI) which aimed to critically explore the inclusion of refugee children and youth at pre-, compulsory and upper secondary levels and the structures created for their learning and wellbeing in their social and educational settings. The theoretical background draws on Bourdieu’s (1991) concept of social and cultural capital to analyse how refugee families negotiate unfamiliar social fields, including educational institutions, labour markets, and local communities. Complementing this perspective, Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectionality framework illuminates how multiple, overlapping identities such as gender, race, disability, and class shape the differentiated experiences of refugees. Together, these frameworks illuminate the structural and relational dynamics that produce uneven inclusion and differentiated opportunities for participation among refugees. They also emphasise the need to account for the multidimensional nature of refugee identities when examining integration processes, particularly in relation to access to education, participation, and other essential forms of support. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This research is a multiple case study of six refugee families from Syria and Iraq who resettled in Iceland in 2016-2020. Methods included semi-structured in-depth interviews with the parents, as well as their older children (age 12 and onwards). Furthermore, language portraits and value cards were used to initiate discussion about languages and values with the older children (age 12 and onwards) in the families. Data were collected in places of the families and youth’s choice, such as in their home, in school or community settings. The research was carried out in accordance with the Data Protection Authority, the Act no. 90/2018 on Data Protection and the Processing of Personal Data, and the Code of Research Ethics for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020). The study employed reflexive thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006, 2021), a qualitative analytic method used to identify and interpret meaningful patterns or themes across the data. Our thematic analysis sought to understand how the parents and youth made sense of their experiences and how these meanings relate to the research questions. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Findings indicate that the refugee families generally have positive experiences of their resettlement in Iceland, although numerous obstacles have appeared in their trajectories, often related to cultural, social, educational and religious differences. These include differences in religion and religious practices, new roles of family members and difference in educational approaches in the children’s schools. The families expressed overall satisfaction with their lives in Iceland, describing a sense of safety, stability, and access to valuable services, yet they also reported a number of ongoing cultural, religious, and bureaucratic challenges. Although they were pleased with the Icelandic school system and the support their children received, parents simultaneously held high educational expectations shaped by hopes for long term security and opportunity. In relation to services, families appreciated the assistance available to them but noted difficulties with processes such as acquiring citizenship and travelling to certain countries, including former places of residence like Lebanon or Jordan. Additionally, participants highlighted cultural tensions surrounding lifestyle norms in Iceland, particularly regarding intergenerational expectations, such as the Icelandic practice of young adults leaving home at 18, which contrasts with their preference for maintaining close family cohesion. The findings are consistent with previous research showing that refugee families encounter a range of challenges during resettlement, including the loss of social and familial networks, structural discrimination, and a diminished sense of role and status. Families are required to navigate unfamiliar situations and responsibilities, and many experience social isolation in Iceland (Ragnarsdóttir & Hama, 2018). Although some parents expressed doubts about the quality of education in Iceland, they simultaneously observed that their children were performing well in school and reported feeling satisfied with their progress. While parents reflected on the loss of previous roles and social standing, they also noted that they had begun to develop new social networks in Iceland (Ragnarsdóttir & Hama, 2023). References Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In A. H. Halsey, H. Lauder, P. Brown, & A. S. Wells (Eds.), Education: Culture, economy and society (pp. 46–58). Oxford University Press. Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241–1299. https://doi.org/10.2307/1229039 Ragnarsdóttir, H., & Hama, S. R. (2023). Syrian refugee families in Iceland: Aspects of transitions in education and society. In S. S. Singh, O. Jovanović, & M. Proyer (Eds.), Perspectives on Transitions in Refugee Education: Ruptures, Passages, and Re-Orientations (1st ed., pp. 209–224). Verlag Barbara Budrich. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv32bm1gz.17 | ||