Finding Place: Strengthening Pedagogical Practices on Forced Migration Through Interpersonal Understanding in Higher Education

Abstract

AbstractAs conversations about forced migration shape curriculum, new literature details the problems faced by forcibly displaced refugees. There are fewer resources, however, about how to engage with and highlight migrant voices in our actual classrooms. This paper offers a breakdown of a course offered at Vassar College that sought to devise a novel, grassroots approach to studies of forced migration and education. Titled “Finding Place: Refugee Youth Schooling Experiences in Athens, Greece,” the goals of the course included understanding the socio-economic conditions leading to refugee displacement to Greece, partnering with a refugee-led community organization in Athens for educational programming, and assisting with fieldwork research on refugee education. This chapter discusses how the course integrated restorative justice pedagogy, using one workshop as an example. The chapter also details the course’s pivots and pitfalls, particularly as a result of pandemic-related restrictions upon travel. The authors conclude with recommendations for future initiatives based on experiences with developing instructional material.