Higher education in Turkey is facing unprecedented levels of demand from refugee students, Syrian youths especially. Yet, there is a lack of research about Syrian refugee youths’ education trajectories, learning experiences, intercultural encounters, and meaningful participation. Here, we provide an account of the social and cultural aspects of higher education that influence young refugee youths’ imaginaries, that is, how they imagine their social existence, aspirations, and perceptions and framings of society (Taylor, 2004) during displacement. Through artsbased methodologies and activities, we explore how young refugees learn alongside their non-refugee counterparts and, in the process, make sense of themselves and the world around them through intercultural contact. Through our research, we aim to stimulate discussion and debate on innovative methodologies that involve young people in research, as participants, contributors, and researchers, to develop knowledge and practice towards constructing inclusive learning environments.
In this study we have sought to show how arts-based approaches can contribute to hearing and amplifying refugee voices while challenging power asymmetries. Combining critical intercultural pedagogy, informed by the capacity to aspire (Appadurai, 2004b) and the politics of recognition (Taylor, 2009) allowed us to explore refugee youth more broadly than evidenced in previous studies. By opening up spaces to hear intercultural voices, we have been able to offer insights into the aspirations and imaginaries of Syrian youth, and challenge deficit-based perceptions and practices in refugee research and narratives. We have also offered ways to support Syrian youths’ aspirations in order to create inclusive environments in higher education in Turkey. Through the music religio-cultural music workshops which drew on participants (Turkish and Syrian youths’ knowledge of religious songs in Arabic), participants demonstrated intercultural engagement. This artsbased methodology provided improved resources for understanding and strengthening of refugee youths’ capacity to aspire.