Taking their Word(s): Biographical Violence and Dilemmas of Collecting Narratives from Young People on the Move

Various adults seeking migratory testimonies actively pressure young people ‘on the move’ to Europe, categorised as ‘unaccompanied minors’ (UAMs), to ‘open up’ and share their stories. The suspicion that hangs over their minority and over the credibility of their stories can cause the adolescents to modify their biographies, to conceal, alter or invent elements. How can the researcher bond with them and produce reliable qualitative data without reproducing forms of ‘biographical violence’? Based on a multisited ethnography ‘on the move’ in Morocco, Spain and France, this article invites exploration of young people's shifting biographies throughout their journey to Europe. It supports the idea that the scientific and ethical challenges of collecting the voices of young people can also constitute levers of scientific knowledge.