This MA thesis examines the social identities and the perception of belonging of six young men Pakistan immigrants, 17-22 years old, who have attended Greek school and live in Greece for more than four years. The young men immigrated underage and unaccompanied, crossed many geographical borders and grew up under adverse circumstances. They deal with multiple territorial and temporal transitions and negotiate borders and boundaries daily in public space, movement, residence, occupation, access to rights, etc. Through personal interviews, which focus on immigrants’ perspectives: their experiences, practices and expectations, we examine how the young men construct and (re)define their social identities given the circumstances and in relation to their family, social and educational background, their experiences and their trajectories. The research focus on immigrants’ relations with the community of reception and on the way that educational integration, social and personal relationships, legal status and differential access to rights affect and forge their sense of belonging and their identities.
From the immigrants’ discourse emerges that their multiple transnational connections and their exposure to more than one system’s practices create a sense of multiple belongings which are characterised by fluidity. They maintain emotional bonding with homeland and some of them are nostalgic for the past, but at the same time, they vigorously deal with the present and create real bond with the community of reception. Meanwhile, the multiple geographical, cultural, social, educational, biological/age and linguistic transitions lead on to (re)construction of multiple identities depending on circumstances and contextually. Ethnic and cultural characteristics of origin are reappraised and interact with influences of Greek cultural model, contributing to new identities formation. At the same time, their Greek language acquisition, their educational and work integration, their educational and social capital and their positive experiences from social and personal relations with local community empower them and provide them with stability and pride. These valuable assets are used as «weapons» against sustained dialog with multiple social boundaries. Thus, despite the insecurity caused by instability of immigration policies and pending legal status, the young immigrants are not being victimized, nor accept passively the circumstances, in contrast, they vigorously deal with the present, broaden their education and social assets, they cope with difficulties and they are optimistic that they will make it in the future, in Greece or in any place they are going to settle.