Home and Belonging in Third Culture Kids: Where to go for University
Author
Fanøe, Esther Sofie
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-11-02
Pages
46
Abstract
Denne studie bruger et Mixed Methods-design til at undersøge unge voksne Third Culture Kids (TCK’er): personer, der har tilbragt en væsentlig del af deres opvækst i en kultur eller et land, som ikke er deres forældres hjemkultur. Med øget global mobilitet kan disse unge ofte opleve kulturel hjemløshed og afstand til den kultur, der kaldes hjem. Undersøgelsen søger at forstå, hvordan de oplever hjem og tilhørsforhold i overgangsfasen, hvor de afslutter skolegang og søger ind på universitet, samt hvilke faktorer der påvirker deres valg. Metoden omfatter en kvantitativ online-undersøgelse med 126 deltagere fra 44 nationaliteter og kvalitative, semistrukturerede interviews med to TCK’er. Resultaterne viser, at mange vælger at studere i lande, hvor de forventer bedre livsmuligheder, for eksempel højere uddannelseskvalitet, mindre vold, større politisk stabilitet eller varmere klima. Flertallet foretrækker at studere på engelsk, uanset deres oprindelsesland. Når det gælder hjem og tilhørsforhold, ser mange hjem som relationer snarere end et fysisk sted og opsøger derfor fællesskaber med mennesker, der deler lignende erfaringer og verdensforståelse. For nogle knytter tilhørsforholdet sig til et bestemt sted eller til langvarige relationer; for andre handler det om mere abstrakte fællesskaber på tværs af grænser. Mange udtrykker også et ønske om fortsat at være del af internationale miljøer, hvor de føler sig mere hjemme end i monokulturelle sammenhænge.
This Mixed Methods study examines young adult Third Culture Kids (TCKs): people who spent a significant part of childhood in a culture or country different from their parents’ home culture. With rising global mobility, these young people can experience cultural homelessness and a disconnect from what is considered home. The study explores how they experience home and belonging during the transition of finishing school and applying to university, and which factors influence their choices. Methods include a quantitative online survey completed by 126 participants representing 44 nationalities, and qualitative, semi-structured interviews with two TCKs. Findings show that many choose to study in countries they believe offer better life prospects, such as higher-quality education, less violence, greater political stability, or warmer weather. Most prefer to study in English, regardless of their country of origin. Regarding home and belonging, many define home in terms of relationships rather than a physical place and seek communities with people who share similar experiences and understandings of the world. For some, belonging is tied to a specific place or to long-standing relationships; for others, it is found in more abstract communities that span borders. Many also express a wish to remain part of international communities, where they feel more at home than in mono-cultural settings.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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