I intend to research the themes of identity, diaspora, and disadvantages among young Somalis in Wales especially with regards to their experience of hardships of spatial concentration, high unemployment, educational disadvantage and Islamophobia, with racism inhibiting their social and spatial mobility and fracturing their transitions from education to the workplace. I am particularly interested in how young Somalis develop creative coping strategies, using strong community bonds within and between age cohorts to offset the effects of racialized stigma. This includes forging ties with young people in Somaliland through reciprocal visits and social media, developing transnational entrepreneurial ventures and humanitarian initiatives. A key aim will be understanding the role and perception of their mobilities with regards to experiences of social exclusion and inclusion, as well as feelings of belonging. I aim to untangle, through engagement with young Somalis in Cardiff, the combined impacts of social exclusion, racism and other barriers, and the coping mechanisms they develop to overcome them.
Aadan, Arreyeh Nasir
Start date:
October 2018Research Topic:
Somali community in WalesResearch pathway:
Human GeographyResearch Supervisor:
Richard Gale, Andrew Williams, Sergei ShubinSupervising school:
Department of Geography, Swansea University; School of Planning and Geography, Cardiff UniversityPrimary funding source:
ESRC StudentshipEmail:
Aadana1@cardiff.ac.uk