Children from Refugee Backgrounds in Resettlement Picture Storybooks: Agency and Action that Bridge Differences and Divides

• In Event: Inclusion, Humanization, and Socialization: International Experiences in Literature

Abstract

This study examines children’s picturebooks portraying refugee children while making a new life in their resettlement communities with a focus on their agency. Using content analysis, thematic analysis, and critical content analysis, we analyzed 20 resettlement picturebooks. Findings reveal varying degrees of agency, with some books depicting strong, independent protagonists, while others reinforce eurocentric narratives and a western savior complex. We advocate for the inclusion of children’s literature that affirms refugee children as agentive beings.

Authors

• Jiening Ruan, University of Oklahoma

• Jacey Chakrabarty, University of Oklahoma

• Melissa Wicker, Tarleton State University