ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Health Psychology
This article is part of the Research TopicHealth and Psychological Adaptations to Life Challenges and Stressful Conditions - Volume IIView all 18 articles
Citizenship Formation and Resilience Among Ukrainian Female Migrants: Case Studies from Norway
Provisionally accepted
- 1Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway
- 2Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
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Introduction: The escalation of the armed Russian/Ukraine conflict in 2022 precipitated a significant humanitarian crisis. The ensuing forced migration, trauma, and family separation presented complex challenges, particularly for women. This study aims to understand complex social phenomena through a detailed examination of how Ukrainian female refugees in Norway navigate citizenship formation and develop resilience strategies while in transit. Methods: Utilizing a collective case study approach, the research that was anchored in Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) collected, as part of the treatment approach, narratives from six Ukrainian female refugees in Norway. Narrative and thematic analysis were employed on the data, which was interpreted through the theoretical frameworks of citizenship and resilience. Results: The study revealed citizenship as a dynamic, multidimensional process characterized by strategic institutional engagement, identity reconstruction, and adaptive resilience. Participants demonstrated a remarkable capacity to transform refugee status from a passive categorization to an active process of belonging. Key mechanisms included leveraging professional identities, maternal experiences, and emotional adaptation strategies. Discussion: This research provides multidimensional insights into forced migration experiences, highlighting the complex interplay between individual agency and institutional support. It challenges traditional understandings of citizenship, emphasizing resilience as a continuous, context-dependent process of negotiation and adaptation.
Keywords: Narrative Exposure Therapy1, migration2, PTSD3, Citizenship formation4, resilience5
Received: 08 Oct 2025; Accepted: 02 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Tokovska, Domogalla, Bell-Mizori and Nolasco Ferreira. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Vanessa Nolasco Ferreira
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