Mapping the Social Participation of South Asians and Mainstream/Dominant Canadians: a Comparative Study
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2013-10-18 Mapping the Social Participation of South Asians and Mainstream/Dominant Canadians: A Comparative Study Ranu, Koyel Ranu, K. (2013). Mapping the Social Participation of South Asians and Mainstream/Dominant Canadians: A Comparative Study (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26831 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1154 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Mapping the Social Participation of South Asians and Mainstream/Dominant Canadians: A Comparative Study by Koyel Ranu A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY CALGARY, ALBERTA OCTOBER, 2013 © Koyel Ranu 2013 Abstract This research studies how actively South Asian immigrants in Canada are engaged in the social participation process and their underlying motivations. Social participation of South Asians in Canada is compared with Canadians of British lineage and East Indians in their homeland (India), and reasons behind any differences in levels of social participation are examined. In this endeavour, the circular relationship between social participation and social capital is investigated and the formulations of the concepts are problematized and critiqued. To ensure that concepts and indicators are contextually examined instead of being applied universally, both quantitative (inferential statistics) and qualitative methods (interviewing, narrative analysis, and critical discourse analysis of interview transcripts) are used in the research. General Social Survey, cycle 17, is used in the quantitative analysis. Results from qualitative interviews demonstrate that the initial settlement process of South Asian immigrants deeply impacts their social participation process in Canada. The settlement process is found to be influenced by gender, household income, educational background, continuing perspectives of life as developed in their country of origin, general cognitive discourse on the western way of life, and the exercise of an active choice of living in co-ethnic neighbourhoods. Receptivity by social groups and networks and perception of immigrants by mainstream/dominant ethnic groups is also seen to influence a sense of belonging, development of the “Canadian identity”, subsequent settlement, and social participation processes in Canada. Quantitative analysis indicates that ethnic background, interaction in networks of similar income, same sex networks, and networks speaking the same mother tongue negatively impact social participation processes, while sense of social obligation and helping others positively influence social participation. For Indians in their homeland, traditional cultural practices and collective and normative expectations influence the motivations ii behind social participation, but signs of change such as more individualistic lifestyle choices were also apparent. iii Acknowledgements First and foremost I want to express my indebtedness and gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Lloyd Wong, for his valuable guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the tenure of my research. It is a privilege to be associated with an excellent teacher, researcher, and above all, a wonderful human being during my stay here in University of Calgary. From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank Dr. Jim Frideres and Dr. Amal Madibbo for their positive and instrumental guidance, suggestions, and critique. Doing a doctoral study is an ever-learning process and I cannot possibly adequately express how much I have learned from their style of work and recommendations. A special thanks to Charlie Victorino, analyst at the Prairie Research Data Centre, Calgary for his constant cooperation and helpful advice along the way. I would like to mention those who are integral to my life and whose endless, unconditional support, and encouragement have eased the dynamics of being a PhD student. The cooperation and reassuring presence of Priyanka Paul, Anurita Majumdar, Paramita Roy, Aniruddha Roy, Sangeeta Kar, Trista Hurley-Waxali, Ashok Banerjee, Deb Banerjee, Bratendu Bagchi, Aruna Bagchi, and Saumyajit Ray deserve a special mention. Finally, I must acknowledge the reinforcing support I can always count on in my husband, Dr. Subhasish Bandyopadhyay who has been my companion in the truest sense of the word and for being there in the darkest hours. My parents Dr. B.C. Ranu and Supriya Ranu have always been my inspiration and I take this opportunity to thank them for being in my life. iv Dedication Dedicated to my Husband, my parents and my brother v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Dedication ........................................................................................................................v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Research questions ...........................................................................................................4 CHAPTER 2: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...................................................................6 Theoretical Perspectives ..................................................................................................6 Social Capital—definitions and implications ..................................................................8 Social capital and social participation ...........................................................................11 Problems in traditional conceptualizations of social capital ..........................................14 Social participation and characteristics of groups .........................................................18 Empirical review ............................................................................................................20 Social participation: membership, engagement and volunteering activities ..................20 Immigrants and social participation ...............................................................................25 Volunteering—one aspect of social participation—who volunteers and why? .............28 Trust ...............................................................................................................................34 Critique of existing measures of social capital ..............................................................38 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................40 Research Design ............................................................................................................40 Stage one: quantitative analysis .....................................................................................45 Stage two: qualitative analysis .......................................................................................46 Sample ...........................................................................................................................51 Measurement ..................................................................................................................56 Ethical approval, anonymity, and confidentiality of data ..............................................60 Data analysis and interpretation .....................................................................................61 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS FROM QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS— ..............................64 DELINEATING SOCIAL PARTICIPATION AS ENGAGED UPON IN ETHNO-RACIAL COMMUNITIES ......................................................................................................64 CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS FROM QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS—AREAS AND FACTORS EFFECTING SOCIAL PARTICIPATION ...........................................84 The concentric circles of social participation ................................................................84 The focal point of social participation—the neighbourhood .........................................85 Differences in social participation levels among ethno-racial groups—South Asians ..97 Differences in social participation levels among ethno-racial groups—Indians in India and the “cultural club” ................................................................................................104 Differences in social participation levels among ethno-racial groups— mainstream/dominant Canadians .........................................................................109 vi Factors affecting social participation—age and marital status ....................................111 Factors affecting social participation—bonding levels and identification points ........118 Calcutta: tradition