A generation in crisis or bloom? A study on belongingness, identity, and transnationalism of Eritrean Dutch youth

This study is focused on Eritrean Dutch youngsters, specifically children of Eritrean refugees that fled for the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia (1961-1991). The research tries to give an insight on how this group deals with their families history with conflict and migration, diaspora politics from Eritrea, anti-immigrant sentiments in the Netherlands and how they navigate between two identities and cultures. The research also explored how all these factors influence their feelings of belongingness in either the Netherlands or Eritrea. I interviewed 8 respondents and discussed all the topics above, after which I analyzed the interviews by categorizing the interview data and relating it to theories about transnational authoritarianism, large group identity, acculturation and belongingness. The results are multilayered and show that this group is affected by transnational authoritiarianism as well as anti-immigrant sentiments in Dutch society. However, the research also showed that respondent are not affected by intergenerational traumas as much as expected and that most of them are well integrated into Dutch society, while still connecting with their Eritrean heritage. In addition to existing studies on other diaspora youth communities in the Netherlands, this study brings new insights about a community that is relatively unacquainted in Dutch society and in academic research. The relevance to development studies exists in this gap. Diaspora studies are an important part of development studies, and when diasporas exist for a longer time, new generations arise. New generations with different points of view and challenges than the first generation, which are relevant for academic research on how diasporas develop throughout generations.