Crossbred Language Practices and Identity Construction Among the Youth from the Second Generation of Congolese Migration in Belgium: School Issues

Abstract

Transitions phenomena such as migration can result, among individuals involved, in identity and language instabilities. To regulate those, migrants can build strategies. These are the strategies that we focus on for our doctoral research. In this study, we analyse language practices of the youth from the second generation of Congolese migration in Belgium, in order to identify the identity strategies they set up, and to construct profiles corresponding to those strategies. Considering a dynamic conception of identity, this research extends those on identity strategies, and is part of the theory of social identity and self-categorization. The methodology is qualitative, inspired by the Grounded Theory Method, and proceeds through individual and semi-structured interviews. Our initial hypothesis suggested a three levels system of choice (extreme / radical, situational moderation, or crossbreeding). On this basis, we achieved a first exploratory field that allowed us to specify the topic of language practices. In the second field, we studied language thematic in context. This article is published after a presentation made during the 19th Congress of the World Association for Educational Research (AMSE-AMCE-WEAR), which took place in Succeava (Romania), from the 4th to 8th June 2018. In the following pages, we present the general context of our research, the first field results, a preliminary discussion, and the link with school issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]