A Study of the Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in the Contexts of Leisure and Settlement

Abstract

AbstractThis exploratory, qualitative study examines the information seeking, sharing and use of young Afghan newcomers to Canada. Through in-depth interviews with seven youth, supplemented by key informant interviews and extensive participant observation, I examined the information practices of youth in the contexts of leisure and settlement. The findings point to the challenges youth faced in meeting their information needs, as well as the complexity, nuance and tension youth found in their leisure pursuits. Leisure was not a single, unified concept for newcomer youth, and the activities youth took part in included a wide range of pleasures, with some constraints and even contradictions as well. By offering a snapshot of the lives and information practices of a group of newcomer youth, this research makes a contribution to information studies research as it adds to the growing body of human information behaviour (HIB) literature regarding the information practices of immigrants and refugees. It documents the information practices and leisure of newcomers, focusing on two understudied groups - refugees and youth - but also uniquely situates these practices within the broader context of settlement. The contextualization of HIB research on immigrants and refugees is vital if we are to better understand newcomers' lives and practices, as well as design and deliver services that meet their needs.

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