5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

Children are the most neglected group in the study of transnational migration and transnational family relations. Migration research and policy tends to be adult-centric, often overlooking the presence of children in migratory flows, and their agency and participation in the life dynamics and care of transnational families. Children often appear as passive and victimized, lumped together with broader issues of family migration, such as ‘simply’ being part of transnational family arrangements or being the motivation for parents' migration or return. There is a lack of knowledge about migrant children, their lives 'here and now', their family roles, their transnational relationships, formal and informal social protection and their future perspectives. This session aims to contribute to this research gap by placing children at the center of the migration discussion. It welcomes contributions that focus on children as migrants, especially those that include children's perspectives on their lives.