QUESTIONING MASCULINITIES: Young African Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands

The focus of this study is on the expectations, perceptions, experiences and the impact of asylum conditions on young African refugees’ sense of manhood, focusing on masculinity, youth and race/ethnicity in the context of asylum in the Netherlands, The study engages with contemporary literature on masculinity, indicating that there is no clear cut differentiation between hegemonic and other masculinities. It indicates that the past and present contexts of life, as well as young men’s agency in relation to obtaining work, dealing with insecurity and negotiating inter-personal relationships are central to the links between experiences of asylum and experiences of manhood.