Education desires and conflict impacts in refugees’ decisions to leave

Abstract In this article, we set out to unpack, explore and contribute to new understanding of how conflict and education emerge and intertwine in refugees’ reflections about their decisions to leave conflict-affected areas. We draw on a unique survey data set (n = 1008), with South Sudanese respondents, collected in two refugee settlements in Northern Uganda (2022), with structured and open-ended questions. We address three questions: (1) How do education-related factors emerge in refugees’ reflections about leaving conflict-affected areas? (2) How do education and conflict interact in refugees’ decisions to leave? and (3) What are the roles of education as desired for oneself and also for one’s children, in relation to migration decision-making? We draw on literature about education and migration-decisions, in and out of conflict, and apply recent theorization of migration drivers complexes, temporally approached as predisposing, proximate, precipitating, and mediating drivers. The article contributes to deepen understanding of agency throughout displacement, specifically in relation to people’s desire for education, for children, oneself, or both. Our findings also have implications for humanitarian response, in efforts to improve support for civilians affected by conflict, specifically focusing on provision of education (for both children and adults), wherever people may find themselves.