Both here and there: Diasporic youth in Denmark as agents of development: Based on two qualitative studies

Rashmi Singla, Anne Sophie Fabricius, Anne Holm

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This article investigates some psychological aspects of South Asian diasporic youth in Denmark with focus on the socioeconomic strategies based on two empirical studies. The first longitudinal study explored young adults’ economic strategies in relation to their country of origin. The original investigation was conducted in the mid-1990s. Within a theoretical framework combining positioning theory with life course perspective, in-depth interviews were conducted with young adults of Indian and Pakistani background (n=5). The second study focussed on second generation Pakistani descendants in Denmark and their remittance to Pakistan. The extent and nature of transnational activities among second generation Pakistani has been investigated within a theoretical framework of transnationalism and identity construction. The results indicate three emergent forms of socioeconomic strategies among South Asian youth in Denmark: 1) individual strategies involving professional, business related investment and direct remittances, 2) awareness of parents’ strategies, although few or no self-initiated strategies and 3) collective strategy through an organisation addressing their position as agents of development in the country of origin. There are considerable temporal as well as qualitative differences in these strategies as compared to the parental generation.
Original languageEnglish
JournalQualitative studies
Volume2
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)31-49
Number of pages18
ISSN1903-7031
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Youth
  • diaspora
  • transnationalism
  • Interviews

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