Self-Perception of Young Female and Male Students from Somali Ethnic Group in Britain - Literature review Example

?Research Project Topic: A Study on the Self-Perception of Young Female and Male from Somali Ethnic Group in Britain Today 2. Purpose andAims This study aims to explore the perception of Somali youths using qualitative phenomenological approach to determine and deepen understanding of their ethnic identities in relation to other nationalities. It will specifically unravel narrations sourced from rational and emotive inferences among carefully chosen respondents, taking into account their experiences, reflection, feelings and understanding of their realities impacting to their very person as Somali enjoying asylum and are slowly integrated in Britain nation. It will attempt to unravel current and pressing issues and problems of the Somali youths and delve into potential recommendations to improve their situations. a. Rationale Caught in unending violence and conflict situations which victimized thousands of Somali from their original home of abode, thousands of them immigrated to Britain to liberate themselves from seemingly unending atrocities and economic decadence. Such diasporas to better their lives and from wanton discriminatory chaotic situation of the past unfortunately resulted to identity confusion as new generation now lacked appreciation of their cultural and original identities. This is illustrated in the absence of direct and contextual experience in their homeland after years of enjoying relative peace as an asylum in Britain. Long detachment of these naturalized Somalis from their original homeland introduced young generation to British culture although there is no explicit claim of such identity as Brits are prominently known of their milky white skin, quite a contrast of Somali’s black skin-tone. Neither do they identify themselves with African lineage. As a consequence, there is a need to bridge intergenerational cultural gaps of adults and of the new generation, where the latter struggle to integrate themselves within British community. Youths and children felt that they are discriminated, as there is apparent perception of dearth of support to mainstream or socially accept them. To cite an example, youths and children felt that there is lack of educational support for them to learn English as language and they felt they are unfairly prejudiced in their daily affairs with other people. b. Significance This study is significant because it will empirically contribute to existing literatures and researches relating to the condition and perception of Somali youths as migrants within United Kingdom. It will also serve as evidence how conflict-situations compromised the identities of people and lost their very selves in a social quagmire and in an unending quest for peace. As part of the outcome of the study, researcher will attempt to make recommendations for policy advocacy and social action. It will also motivate government to look into the plight of Somali youths, prominently tagged as asylum seeker, to respond on their urgent concerns and problems. c. Motivation Youths are said to be the future of the world. There education and value formation are crucial to make themselves complete, instead of being fragmented due to confusion of identities while and at the same time marginalized by the system where it seek protection. Such dilemma will have serious implication to their worldviews, may frustrate them, and if not seriously dealt with will impact to desired societal interaction and to social fabric in the nearest future. Even in the simplest humanitarian consideration, language is important to communicate and to nurture mutual understanding. Hence, efforts should be made to bridge understanding, to educate them of their roots to inculcate better understanding of their identities, and to holistically develop them while in the process of integrating themselves in the British society. d. Potential Users This research study will be useful for the following: a. Professionals who are interested to know young Somali’s self-perceptions; b. Researchers and policy makers of the country and in the region where Somali populace are located; c. Teachers or educators and social workers or interested development organizations who are willing to assist the plight of Somali youths and to help them reconcile with their original identities; d. International institutions who are interested to facilitate intervention to support the youths’ education and their welfares; e. Other s, which can positively contribute to the total integration of Somali youths. e. Research questions In this study, the researcher will attempt to answer the following questions: a. Have you, as a Somali, experienced racial discrimination in schools or by government agencies or institutions? b. What are the historical causes which prompted them to seek asylum under British care? c. As youths struggling to integrate within the British polity and culture, what are the problems and issues that have most impact to them as persons? What do you perceived of these circumstances and how are these affecting them as youths? d. What are the coping mechanisms these youths used to withstand prejudices and discriminations? e. What are your recommendations to resolve these problems? What are the organizations, institution, and government agency who should collaborate and implement programs for Somali youths in UK? 3. Literature Review 3.1. Introduction Marginalization and discrimination are situations politically experienced mostly by people who are disempowered to determine their fate. This is because circumstances forced them to languish in a situation where they lacked authority to decide what is best for them. Such is the case of the Somali people in Britain which left their original homes in a diaspora for peace and for reasonable economic opportunities. The enforced displacement has consequential impact to its children who have embraced a more liberal culture where they availed asylum, a departure from their conservative customary practices and their way of life. In such context, researcher will qualitatively explore the phenomenological experience of Somali, focused on youths, in their struggle to be mainstreamed within UK community and polity by probing into their perceptions and experiential reflections whilst in their educational pursuit. Their situation called on professionals to reflect who are responsible to uphold and protect the rights of Somali youths? Should institution consider them as special cases that deserved collaborative intervention? These questions can be answered as we unravel the history, circumstance, problems and issues surrounding Somali youths in UK. 3.2. Somali youths and identity Why are you different? Who are you? Where you came from? What are your genealogical roots? Are you a native resident here? These are often disturbing questions when asked because this requires introspection and an inward journey of self, and a revisitation of historic information of ancestry, family and of experiences which molded a person. Somali youths in UK came from their ancestors who thrived in Somali Democratic Republic, a country rich of history and religious devotion (Aidid &Ruhela, 2001 & Gettleman, 2009). Unfortunately, political strife and resource-based conflicts mired its country for centuries, which caused peoples’ diaspora (Barth, 2003) to other nations to seek for peace and better opportunity (Aidid &Ruhela, 2001 & Amnesty International, 2008). A number of them reached Britain and have slowly assimilated into its fabric. While the aged and adults were able to nurture its culture and their identities, their children readily embraced European culture where they grew up of. UK has a net migration population of 230,000 based in 2009-2010 based on Population Change report of National Statistics (2011). Of these figures, about 90,000 are Somali peoples in Britain and about 80% of which are staying within London (ONS, 2011). The increase of 47,000 population, which constitute about 31% of population change, is attributed to strategic migration of a number of asylum seekers who migrated out of UK. The unending conflict situation in Somalia prompted hundreds of the Somali tribe to seek for asylum in UK for want of peace of mind and greener opportunity, although oddly they too are expressing unfair treatment and marginalization (Rasmussen, 2009). Of these figures, an estimated number of 30,000-32,000 Somali pupils (p. 5-6). In 2005, about 8,305 were granted British citizenship, 4,585 of which are naturalized in UK and the figure adds more every year (ICAR, 2007, p. 1). The national government however continually assisted enforced removals, departures and return to Africa of a substantive number of Somalis (Smith, 2011, p.1-2). The National Statistics Office (2011) bared that Somalis in UK cannot be exactly determined as there is constant in-flow and out-flow of asylum seekers (p. 1-2). Studies showed that other Somalis took asylum in Italy, Finland, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, United States, and Canada (ONS, 2011). 3.3 Peace and Unpeace While the Somali community is enjoying relative peace under the political climate of UK, there is however an unspoken internal and unsettling unpeace because they felt social discrimination and prejudices under the white race (Hickman, Crowley & Mai, 2008). Most of them complained that they are marginalized (Ajrouch, K. J., & Kusow, 2007) from the enjoyment of social services, economic opportunities, from quality education e.g. English language, and felt that their disposition made them felt that they are considered as secondary others of British nation (Lahneman, 2005). To retrace back in their original homeland, the social unpeace and conflict situations have not only caused them economic turmoil (Lewis, 2004) but also resulted to increase of illiteracy rate. Moreover, as education in Somalia is contextualized on their native tongues, those who’d joined the diaspora later to other nation, confront the problem of communication. Such lack of adaption of English, as a universal language resulted to communication gaps and whilst under asylum, they all have problems to interact and relate with Brit or other nations who offered them secondary abode with humanitarian protection. Those who were able to readily adopt the European culture may have acculturated selves with ease and could help bridge interaction, but such still sustained the fact that Somali community in UK are experiencing culture shocks as Britain have comparably more liberal culture than that of Somalia. For instance, Somali’s patriarchal culture ran counter with a gender-sensitive culture of the Brits where decision-makings are absorbent on equality of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of both males and females within the structure of homes. Somali youths, who were acculturated in Britain can also manipulate communications to favor their interests, thus leaving their parents confused and with weakened authorities on how they’d be raise as person. 3.4 Into the New Social Structure As immigrants in Britain, Somali families are also introduced to new culture, politics, and economy and socialization process (Lewis, 2004). This is both a challenge confronting the Somali people and the British government in governance, education, and sociological interactions. The academe, perceived as neutral avenue of relieving tensions and issues, need to address this disturbed social structures by revitalizing the educational system to purposively resolve the problems of the ethic community in UK, such as the Somali. It must also assist on providing an avenue where Somali’s needs and concerns are tackled to lessen the potential impact of social antagonism (Lahneman, 2005). 3.6 Conclusion The Somalis are human beings too. Thus, it is imperative for the British government, who offered protective support for the tribe, to delve into their social issues by helping provide economic and social opportunities that will assist them to become helpful counterpart of the British fabric. The British government may partner with United Nations and other institutions who are willing to stake on Somali’s plight within UK, such as education, social services and other supportive policies that will extol non-discrimination and inhibit oppressive conditions as a policy for the ethnic community. It is also significant to recognize how Somali community in UK practice resiliency from conflict situations and from emerging tension due to their marginalization or isolation from new culture where they immigrated. British government must also recognize that furthering inequalities and bias with this tribe will impact to the social cohesion and structures of the British nation. As such, it would be strategic to identify collaborative opportunities where ethic problems are addressed in the name of greater social advantage. 4. Methodology 4.1. Research Paradigm The research will be undertaken with using qualitative phenomenological approach (Creswell, 2007). Phenomenology allows probing into the narrations of the chosen respondents to holistically understand their plight. Such will be described and interpreted by the researcher to enrich information from variegated interpretation of respondents’ social reality or milieu. Researcher will endeavor to scientifically explore data and explain from differing lenses or vantages of respondents. As a qualitative study (Berg & Berg, 2007), it will also enquire into the personal experiences of respondents taking into account historical, interactional, sociological, and observational contexts (Obermeyer, 1997 & Carter and Little, 2007). 4.2. Research Strategy Respondents will be chosen among young Somali, 25 male and 25 females’ students in UK. They are taken from a sample of populace bearing youthful age, defined and set by the United Nations (UN). They will be engaged in purposive focus group discussion (FGD) workshop-type process where they can collectively share their perceptions, insights, experiences and ideas with liberty. Frameworks and objectives of these workshops will be developed by experts (Liamputtong & Ezzy, 2005). FGD will further allow cross validation of information to accurately and with clarity. The process and outcome of discourse will be thoroughly documented and duly consolidated. Each of these participants will be asked to fill a formatted personal and demographic profile. Researcher will also gather all related literatures from books, magazines, and online database which can also be sourced from online database. Secondary materials that will be utilized will be approved by research advisors. 4.3 Collection of Data Researcher will make use of primary and secondary information and data for this study. The primary information will be sourced from 50 youth respondents. These will constitute the submitted personal and demographic profiles and the output or outcome of the of focused group discussions (FGD) in a workshop prototype where selected respondents are participants (Liamputtong & Ezzy, 2005). This process of collecting these data is designed within a short time-frame which will be facilitated and documented by experts with the researcher. Personalized follow-up interviews will also be included. Secondary information will also be sourced from journals, magazines, books, online information and other related research study to further validate issues tackled. 4.4. Reliability and Validity To ensure that the research conducted will be imbued with information and data which can truly relied of, researcher must document and record interviews, proceedings and keep all supporting information (Rolfe, 2006). Creswell (2007) discussed that validity could either be descriptive, interpretive and theoretical validity. In this study, validity is achieved via description and interpretation of data and information gathered (Porter, 2007). As such, researcher will describe factual details of outcome of the focus group discussion with impartiality. 4.5. Ethical Consideration In accordance to generally adhered principles and ethical standards, free prior and informed consent should be formally generated by researcher from its respondents to ensure that there participations are voluntarily elicited. As such, consent will be secured through written form where objectives and processes that will be undertaken in the conduct of the study are clearly conveyed ( Mack & Woodsong, 2005) . The study, being designed in a workshop-prototype, will raise questions that will probe the respondents’ narratives and self-reflection of their experiences, insights and the like toward pro-active determination of recommendations that will hasten the empowerment of respondents’ from their present situation. 4.6. Confidentiality & Anonymity Researcher will undertake this study following the international standard of code required in research. As such researcher will practice sensitivity and privacy of respondents as maybe agreed in accordance to terms of non-disclosure. As such, when information divulged by respondent will compromise their identities, researcher will likewise adhere to protect the respondents’ identity. Researcher will designate corresponding codes in each of these respondents. All of documented responses will be put in a password-protected data-base. Researcher must respect restriction of information in case there are stories bared that respondents prefer to be off the record. 4.7. Benefits and Risks The outcome of the research study will benefit the youths, the subject of this academic investigation, and the Somali community in UK. It will also indirectly benefit organizations, institutions, development workers who have assisted the Somali community for their empowerment. The professional sector from the academe and the business sectors who are venturing in this ethic group will likewise benefit from this study. It will likewise befit the researcher in its endeavor for academic advancement. But as the study is limited to youths as respondents, the outcome of this research may or may not be applicable. 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