Experiences of belonging and social integration among black African youth in Australia

Abstract

This study explored the social integration process of African Australian youth and how they articulate their sense of belonging in Australia. Existing literature on the African Australian experience indicates that racism and racist attitudes towards African Australian youth remain prevalent in professional, social, and school settings. There is limited understanding of how these young African people develop and define a sense of belonging in Australia. The study used a semi-structured interview research method to explore the experience of belongingness of six black African Australian youths, three males and three females, the resources available to them to ensure their resilience, and how they manage racial adversity in Australia. Furthermore, the study employed Bourdieu's theory of habitus in conjunction with Maslow's hierarchy of needs to explore the complexity and multidimensional aspect of belonging. The investigation initially focused on the strength perspectives, building on the self-determination theory to understand how African Australian youth respond and capitalize on their social strengths in Australia regarding their racial identities. However, the barriers to belongingness for black African Australian youth have emerged strongly throughout the investigations. The need for proactive action at a policy and community level considering the cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity within the African Australian communities and to support their full participation in mainstream Australian society with a total sense of belonging and active citizenship will be discussed.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Western Sydney University
Supervisor	Hong-Jae Park (Supervisor)