Abstract

Chronic violence has characterized Somalia for over two decades, forcing nearly two million people to flee. A significant number have settled in camps in neighboring countries, where children were born and raised. Based on in-depth fieldwork, this book explores the experience of Somalis who grew up in Kakuma refugee camp, in Kenya, and are now young adults. This original study carefully considers how young people perceive their living environment and how growing up in exile structures their view of the past and their country of origin, and the future and its possibilities.

“This is an outstanding and original contribution to scholarship in both refugee studies and anthropology. Rarely does one get such candid portraits of refugee youth, their rich yet truncated lives in extended exile, and the hopes they hold on to.” · Jennifer Hyndman, York University, Canada

Catherine-Lune Grayson holds a PhD in Anthropology and is Policy Adviser at the International Committee of the Red Cross.