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Understanding the Plight of Children in the
European Migrant Crisis
JADE SHEPPARD1
The impact of contemporary mass migration in Europe is a recurrent
topic in the media and has divided public opinion. From a psychological
perspective it is a fascinating example of the human tendency to
stigmatise outgroups and can be explored much further. This article
examines the potentially adverse effects on child refugees as a result of
migration and what factors may increase or reduce this harm. It will also
consider how an understanding of bioecological models of development
can predict whether or not refugee children will ultimately benefit from
evacuating a warzone.
Introduction
The significance of psychology has always arisen from its great potential to be
applied to real issues and, at the very least, offer a unique insight into the often
devastating effects on those involved and, at its best, provide a solution. Urie
Bronfenbrenner, an advocate of formulating testable and applicable theories, created
his famous Bioecological Model following this line of thought. (Bronfenbrenner
1986: 723-742; Bronfenbrenner and Morris 2006: 795-825). Therefore, it is both
appropriate and fitting to apply his model to one of today’s most pressing sociopolitical issues; the European migrant crisis. Because it is a developmental theory, the
focus will be on the child victims fleeing from war and the impact this desperate
search for asylum could have on their futures. The question driving this paper asks
can the trauma and developmental risk associated with resettling children away from
conflict zones be justified?
Jade Sheppard is a final year Psychology student at Queen’s University Belfast. Any errors are the
author’s own. The author can be contacted at: [email protected].
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