”I’ve Fought for My Future but Suddenly, I Can Get Rejected”: Young Refugees’ Future Orientations

In Denmark, restrictive integration politics position young refugees holding a temporary residence permit in a difficult dilemma when they finish lower secondary education and begin to orient themselves towards their future. If they aim for further education, they can improve their chances of secure employment long-term. However, this will also postpone their chances of achieving a permanent residence permit. If they aim for employment, they may improve their economic situation here and now, as well as their chances of living up to the requirements for achieving a permanent residence permit, but this entails a precarious position at the job market and compromises with regards to their educational aspirations.
Through the story of Adnan, a 23-year-old man with a refugee background holding a temporary residence permit, the article explores how participation in upper secondary education is experienced in a context of exile, prolonged uncertainty, and shifting experiences of (un)belonging at school and in society at large. Employing concepts of belonging and discussing ideas of proper youth transitions, the article adds to our understanding of how participation in education is affected by experiences of (un)belonging at different levels.