Language, Identity, and Belonging in Refugee Education

Group Submission Type: Paper Session

Description of Session

Drawing on research from Pakistan, the United States, and Türkiye, the papers examine how language mediates access, belonging, and participation in schools, how refugee students navigate identity through linguistic practices, and how societal curricula influence educational opportunities. Together, the session highlights the interplay between language, social integration, and policy, offering insights into how education can support both personal and collective agency for displaced learners.

Sub Unit

• Education in Conflict and Emergencies SIG

Chair

• Ozlem Erden-Basaran, TED University

Individual Presentations

• Language, Agency, and the Contradictions of Refugee Inclusion: Afghan Students and Teachers in Pakistan - Naureen Durrani, Nazarbayev Univeity; Muhammad Yasir Khan; Mario Novelli, University of Sussex

• Navigating Identity Through Language: Experiences of Congolese Refugee Students In U.S Public Schools - Samwel Mnanga Petro, University of Maryland - College Park

• Societal Curricula and Refugee Education: Türkiye’s Policies, NGO Influence, and the Struggles of Syrian Communities - Ozlem Erden-Basaran, TED University