Social alienation and its consequences on youth cultural identity: A field study in Mosul

Social alienation is a significant issue in post-conflict societies, as it poses a serious challenge to the development of cultural identity in adolescents. This paper looks at the impact of various aspects of social alienation on the development of youth cultural identity in post-conflict Mosul, Iraq, after the occupation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) between 2014 and 2017. It employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, in which 423 youth aged 15–17 years were surveyed in five districts of Mosul. Subsequently, 30 in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations were conducted. These measures included validated alienation scales addressing powerlessness, meaninglessness, and social isolation, as well as comprehensive cultural identity measures. Findings indicate that social isolation had the most negative relationships with all cultural identity outcomes (r = − .45 to − .51, p < .001). Social isolation was found to be the strongest predictor of heritage cultural connection (β = − .31, p < .001), contemporary cultural adaptation (β = − .38, p < .001), and bicultural identity integration (β = − .28, p < .001) using multiple regression analysis. These relationships were strongly moderated by family support (beta = 0.18–0.21, p < .01), which offered important protection against the adverse outcomes of alienation. Geographic differences appeared, as the youth of the Old City were the most alienated, and ethnic minorities had the most significant attachment to their heritage and social isolation. The results are used to design culturally sensitive interventions for post-conflict reconstruction and youth development programs.