The Migration Policy Institute’s (MPI) National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy is embarking on a research initiative to examine the well-being and development of young children in Black immigrant and refugee families. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage and build understanding of an important and understudied population: children in the first decade of life (birth to age 10) with Black foreign-born parents from Africa or the Caribbean.
To this end, we are soliciting papers by established and/or young scholars in child development, psychology, education, sociology, anthropology, demography, economics, and public policy. We welcome papers documenting how these children are faring in the United States and papers offering international comparisons with how young children in Black immigrant and refugee families are faring in Canada, the United Kingdom, and/or other European countries. Core support for this project has been provided by the Foundation for Child Development (FCD).
Paper Topics
The project’s broad areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, the topics below. We welcome and encourage suggestions for other topics and population-specific case studies. The well-being and development of young children in Black refugee families, including the resilience and risk factors (high parental expectations, discrimination, e.g.) that influence well-being. Geographic patterns of settlement in receiving countries, including metropolitan area clustering, segregation within cities, quality of education in settlement communities, and availability of health and social services for children. Family and parental resources, including family structure, parental human capital, and parental employment. Health and well-being of young children in Black immigrant families, including family income, poverty, housing conditions, food security, health, and child care arrangements and their implications for policy. Development and preparation for school of young children in these families and their implications for policy.
Submission deadline: December 15, 2010
Educational progress and language acquisition of children in these families from birth to age 10 and their implications for policy. Comparative studies of Black immigrant families in other settlement countries, such as Canada, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Research Symposium
Selected papers will be presented at an interdisciplinary research symposium for scholars of this topic, hosted by MPI and FCD in early summer 2011. Research will be widely disseminated as MPI publications and/or MPI will work with authors to publish their research in academic journals.
Timeframe for Paper Proposals
We request that all submissions be made by December 15, 2010.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit the following:
Preliminary title Abstract up to 500 words Brief description of data sources (qualitative or quantitative) Brief description of population studied (age range, country of origin, and country of settlement) and, if applicable, any comparison populations Current CV or brief biography (100 words or less) indicating any current affiliations for each author*
*Papers with multiple authors will be considered.
Honorarium
An honorarium of $1,000 to $3,000 will be offered for completed papers presented at the symposium.
Papers are to be completed by May 15, 2011, with the symposium held in mid-June 2011.
Submit paper proposals and any questions electronically to:
Kristen McCabe
Migration Policy Institute
kmccabe@migrationpolicy.org
202-266-1933
More information here.
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