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INDO-CANADIAN MALES and HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES Case Study

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INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES 1 Running head: INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES Case Study: A study of a selected group of Indo-Canadian males and their experiences at high school Amandeep Sidhu Department of Integrated Studies in Education McGill University October, 2009 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of Arts in Culture and Values in Education © Amandeep Sidhu 2009 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l’édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-66365-3 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-66365-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l’Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L’auteur conserve la propriété du droit d’auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author’s permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privée, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont été enlevés de thesis. cette thèse. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n’y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES 2 Abstract This qualitative case study describes and analyzes the educational identities of second generation Indo-Canadian high school males in British Columbia. I draw from post-traditionalist sociology for my theoretical framework. I conducted face-to-face individual interviews to develop a collective and individual understanding of the perceptions of seven Indo-Canadian teenage males from four cities in British Columbia. Results indicate that their educational and personal identities are constructed more in relation to their daily social interactions and less in relation to traditional Punjabi cultural norms. Results from the student interviews reveal that they negotiate their identities in relation to social interactions that are always shifting. A pattern emerged whereby the participants are constantly trying to find a sense of self and belonging as they discuss how they identify themselves and their place in relation to school, family, culture, and peer groups. This study has implications for educators and for second generation identity studies. Increasing ethnic and cultural diversity creates a need for educators to encourage and embrace the involvement of parents from the often reluctant Punjabi community. Understanding and recognizing the different ways these youth develop their identities may enable educators and identity researchers to confront the growing academic underachievement of Indo-Canadian high school male youths. INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES 3 Résumé Cette étude de cas de nature qualitative décrit et analyse l’identité scolaire d’élèves masculins Indo-Canadiens de deuxième génération fréquentant l’école secondaire. Le cadre théorique de cette étude repose sur la sociologie post-traditionnelle. Des entrevues individuelles ont été menées afin de développer une compréhension collective et individuelle de la perception de sept adolescents masculins d’origine Indo- Canadienne provenant de quatre villes de Colombie-Britannique. Les résultats indiquent que leur identité scolaire et personnelle se construit davantage en fonction de leurs interactions sociales quotidiennes plutôt que selon les normes culturelles Punjabi. Les données d’entrevues révèlent que ces élèves négocient leur identité en lien avec des interactions sociales toujours changeantes. Les résultats suggèrent l’émergence d’un mode selon lequel les participants tentent constamment de trouver un sens de soi et un sentiment d’appartenance en lien avec la façon dont ils s’identifient et à la place qu’ils occupent dans leurs écoles, leurs familles, leur culture et leurs groupes de pairs. Cette étude a des implications pour les agents d’éducation ainsi que pour les études concernant le développement de l’identité d’immigrants de deuxième génération. Une plus grande diversité ethnique et culturelle requiert des agents d’éducation qu’ils encouragent et acceptent l’implication des parents, souvent réticents, de la communauté Punjabi. Comprendre et reconnaître les différentes façons qu’ont ces jeunes de développer leur identité peut permettre aux agents d’éducation et aux chercheurs dans le domaine de l’identité de contrer l’augmentation de l’échec scolaire chez les élèves Indo-Canadiens masculins de niveau secondaire. INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES 4 Acknowledgements It was with the kindness and patience of many great friends that this thesis was written. I would like to thank Dr. Mary Maguire for her tireless efforts in guiding me through this project. After having the privilege of working with Dr. Maguire, I realize how dedicated she is to her students, her profession and the entire discipline of academic studies in Education. Over the course of this thesis, Dr. Maguire has not only made me a better student, she has also become a role model for the way I will conduct my professional life. I would also like to thank the seven participants and parents of this study. They were all trusting and honest individuals who opened their doors and gave me their time. I feel very privileged to have been able to work with them and share their stories. I am grateful for the opportunity to study at McGill University. The fine faculty and staff are the pillars of this University’s earned reputation. I am grateful for having the opportunity to pursue full time studies and make contributions that will expand and create new information and knowledge. I owe a great deal to my parents, who have enabled my access to institutions that were beyond their own reach. I made many friends at McGill and I will always remember the time we shared. I would like to thank Mary Kate Wallbridge for her endless support and feedback and I would like to thank the professors that encouraged my ideas and supported my causes. I am grateful to my brother Pawandeep Sidhu and my friend Wayne Egers for always being there when I needed a proofreader or soundboard. And, I would like to thank my wife Bindy. She was my biggest supporter and the source of my motivation. INDO-CANADIAN MALES AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES 5 Table of Contents ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. 2 RÉSUMÉ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 4 PROLOGUE ................................................................................................................................................. 7 FAMILY HISTORY AND EDUCATION OF PARENTS ............................................................................................ 7 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN MY EDUCATION............................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 17 FOCUS OF INQUIRY........................................................................................................................................ 18 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND THEMES ............................................................................................................ 21 TERMINOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 22 RATIONALE FOR MY STUDY.......................................................................................................................... 24 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW............................. 26 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.......................................................................................................................... 26 Identity and self-reflexivity.................................................................................................................
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