Preliminary communication
The Societal, Social and Individual Problems of Migrant Workers’ Children
Josip Anić
; Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Andrina Pavlinić-Wolf
; Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The children of migrants are faced with numerous specific problems, whether they remain in their homeland or live with their parents abroad. There is no general agreement on which of the situations is more beneficial for the children. Consequently, equal attention should be paid to the positions of those left behind by their parents in their own country and those residing abroad.
On the basis of some research carried out hitherto, the authors identify problems (the so-called distance from parents brings about in the child problems pertaining to emotional neglect, socialization, education, personality development, etc., while the child's residence abroad is associated with problems of building one's own identity under the conditions of an alien culture and language, the discrepancy of influences on the child's personality development exerted by family and by “host” society, the precarious prospects for education and jobs, etc.). A consistent and prompt implementation of the proclaimed policy of “temporary stay abroad” is seen by the authors as a solution to these problems, whereby the process of family reunification abroad is to be replaced by family reunion in the home country.
Keywords
children of migrants; socialization; education
Hrčak ID:
128767
URI
Publication date:
31.10.1986.
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