Page 27 - IJSA, Vol. 2, No 1-2, 2019

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 2, No. 1-2, 2019

SOCIAL SCIENCES. Psychology

BRIEF REPORT

Phenomenological Perspective
in Researching Immigrant Children’s Experience

Authors’ Contribution: Batuchina A. 1 ABDF , Straksiene G. 1 EFG
A – Study design;
B – Data collection; 1 Klaipeda University, Lithuania
C – Statistical analysis;
D – Data interpretation;
E – Manuscript preparation;
F – Literature search; Received: 29.10.2019; Accepted: 20.11.2019; Published: 30.11.2019
G – Funds collection
Abstract
Background and Migration is a complicated and complex social phenomenon. Arriving in a new country,
Aim of Study: immigrants find themselves in a strange, unfamiliar environment; simultaneously they
may have left behind almost everything that they had in their home country. Such a life
event changes the relationship between a person and their things: immigrants lose their
connection with the things left behind, while new connections with the things of the host
country have yet to be forged. This is a natural process of an adult’s migration. But
what is it like for a child?
The aim of the study: to reflect the experiences of immigrant children and their
changing relationship with things in phenomenological methodology approach.

Material and Methods: The article is based on hermeneutic phenomenology, when children migrating is
analysed as a phenomenon. In order to investigate such phenomena phenomenology as
a research strategy is applied. Its data were collected using several methods. The main
method was the unstructured phenomenological interview with children and adults who
due to economic reasons left their home country and came to live in another while being
children together with their parents (or one of them). Having changed the country, they
had also to change schools.

Results: Show the uniqueness of the children migration experience and reflects it in the
phenomenological matter.

Conclusions: Children migration experience is often underestimated from the position of grown-ups,
while children view migration differently, as they see things, objects and space around
them differently (they see, feel and imagine world in a totally unique manner). That is
why children taken out of their usual and normal lifestyle, home space facing totally
different world, with strange and unfamiliar things, facing the world of
unpredictability, temporality and eternity, fantasy and dreams, where misunderstood,
or unnoticed are left alone, even while being surrounded by people.

Keywords: migration, phenomenology, children, qualitative research, things.

Copyright: © 2019 Batuchina A., Straksiene G. Published by Archives of International Journal of
Science Annals

DOI and UDC DOI 10.26697/ijsa.2019.1-2.04; UDC 159.9.018.7:314.151.3-053.2/5

Conflict of interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests

Peer review: Double-blind review

Source of support: Departmental sources

Information about Batuchina Aleksandra (Corresponding Author) – https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0012-
the authors: 9421; [email protected]; Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Lecturer, Center
for Social Geography and Regional Studies; Klaipeda University; Klaipeda, Lithuania.

Strakšienė Giedre – https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8533-0276; Doctor of Philosophy in
Education, Senior Researcher, Social Change Study Centre; Klaipeda University;
Klaipeda, Lithuania.

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