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Rethinking “local” and “in situ” in WILD among migrant children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2026

Xuechen Ding Open the ORCID record for Xuechen Ding [Opens in a new window]  and
Xiaoxue Kong Open the ORCID record for Xiaoxue Kong [Opens in a new window]
Xuechen Ding
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China dingxuechen@shnu.edu.cn
Xiaoxue Kong*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada xiaoxue.kong@unbc.ca
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

While Bard et al.’s WILD framework commendably calls for broader inclusivity in developmental science, it underestimates the challenges posed by migration. Migrant children’s lives complicate the constructs of local and in situ, demanding their reconceptualization as fluid and multi-sited. Recognizing this complexity is important for advancing culturally robust developmental theories.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e266
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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