Belonging, Place, and Identity: The Role of Social Trust in Developing the Civic Capacities of Transnational Dominican Youth

In the context of transnational migration, schools are reimagining their role in preparing students to become democratic citizens. The qualitative research study described in this article explores the places where five Dominican transnational youth attending a New York City public high school for late-arriving migrants enacted their civic identities. Findings show that the youth developed a sense of place and belonging across the contexts of school, family, and neighborhood that was informed by their dual frame of reference. Participants perceived their school to be a space where they developed social trust due to caring and supportive relationships with teachers and students, and where they were able to draw upon their transnational experiences as civic assets. They reported fewer opportunities to develop social trust in their neighborhoods. Implications are discussed for how these youth perspectives can be leveraged to improve civic outcomes for transnational youth whose sense of belonging and identifications transcend national boundaries.