The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the
Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia

C 2025

The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia

MACKOVÁ, Lucie and Andrea PREISSOVÁ KREJČÍ

Basic information

Original name

The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia

Authors

MACKOVÁ, Lucie and Andrea PREISSOVÁ KREJČÍ

Edition

Leeds, Migrant Children and Youth: Wellbeing and Integration Around the World, p. 39-53, 15 pp. Sociological studies of children and youth, 2025

Publisher

Emerald Publishing Limited

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Chapter(s) of a specialized book

Field of Study

50902 Social sciences, interdisciplinary

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

Publication form

electronic version available online

References:

URL

Marked to be transferred to RIV

Yes

RIV identification code

RIV/47813059:19510/25:A0000579

Organization unit

Faculty of Public Policies in Opava

ISBN

978-1-83549-604-6

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1108/S1537-466120250000036003

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-105027476737

Keywords in English

Child refugees; exile; well-being; Yugoslavia; Czechoslovakia

Abstract

In the original language

This study examines the experiences of child refugees who fled the former Yugoslavia and temporarily stayed in Czechoslovakia during the early 1990s. Adults who were once these child refugees share their exile experience and how this shaped their later life paths. In 2023 and 2024, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with 19 former child refugees to understand their perspectives. All participants had spent several months in the former Czechoslovakia during the Yugoslav wars, and they were between 7 and 17 years old at that time. While attempting to discuss the effect of exile on child refugees’ well-being, we delve into three different phases: remembering home before leaving, positive and negative experiences while being in exile, and responding to return. We found that all of these experiences differed based on children’s age. However, other children and teachers were an important resource that helped them build their resilience and deal with the uncertain months in exile and after that.

Cite

MACKOVÁ, Lucie and Andrea PREISSOVÁ KREJČÍ. The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia. Online. In Loretta E. Bass. Migrant Children and Youth: Wellbeing and Integration Around the World. Leeds: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025, p. 39-53. Sociological studies of children and youth. ISBN 978-1-83549-604-6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1537-466120250000036003.

@inbook{88962,
   author = {Macková, Lucie and Preissová Krejčí, Andrea},
   address = {Leeds},
   booktitle = {Migrant Children and Youth: Wellbeing and Integration Around the World},
   doi = {https://doi.org/10.1108/S1537-466120250000036003},
   editor = {Loretta E. Bass},
   keywords = {Child refugees; exile; well-being; Yugoslavia; Czechoslovakia},
   howpublished = {elektronická verze "online"},
   language = {eng},
   location = {Leeds},
   isbn = {978-1-83549-604-6},
   pages = {39-53},
   publisher = {Emerald Publishing Limited},
   title = {The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia},
   url = {https://www.emerald.com/books/edited-volume/21181/Migrant-Children-and-YouthWellbeing-and},
   year = {2025}
}

TY  - CHAP
ID  - 88962
AU  - Macková, Lucie - Preissová Krejčí, Andrea
PY  - 2025
TI  - The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia
VL  - Sociological studies of children and youth
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
CY  - Leeds
SN  - 9781835496046
KW  - Child refugees
KW  - exile
KW  - well-being
KW  - Yugoslavia
KW  - Czechoslovakia
UR  - https://www.emerald.com/books/edited-volume/21181/Migrant-Children-and-YouthWellbeing-and
N2  - This study examines the experiences of child refugees who fled the former Yugoslavia and temporarily stayed in Czechoslovakia during the early 1990s. Adults who were once these child refugees share their exile experience and how this shaped their later life paths. In 2023 and 2024, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with 19 former child refugees to understand their perspectives. All participants had spent several months in the former Czechoslovakia during the Yugoslav wars, and they were between 7 and 17 years old at that time. While attempting to discuss the effect of exile on child refugees’ well-being, we delve into three different phases: remembering home before leaving, positive and negative experiences while being in exile, and responding to return. We found that all of these experiences differed based on children’s age. However, other children and teachers were an important resource that helped them build their resilience and deal with the uncertain months in exile and after that.
ER  -

MACKOVÁ, Lucie and Andrea PREISSOVÁ KREJČÍ. The Experiences and Well-being of Child Refugees from the Yugoslavian War in Exile in Czechoslovakia. Online. In Loretta E. Bass. \textit{Migrant Children and Youth: Wellbeing and Integration Around the World}. Leeds: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025, p.~39-53. Sociological studies of children and youth. ISBN~978-1-83549-604-6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1537-466120250000036003.

Přehled o publikaci