A Study of the Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in the Contexts of Leisure and Settlement
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A Study of the Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in the Contexts of Leisure and Settlement by Lisa Clare Quirke A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Information University of Toronto © Copyright by Lisa Clare Quirke 2014 A Study of the Information Practices of Afghan Newcomer Youth in the Contexts of Leisure and Settlement Lisa Clare Quirke Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Information University of Toronto 2014 Abstract This exploratory, qualitative study examines the information seeking, sharing and use of young Afghan newcomers to Canada. Through in-depth interviews with seven youth, supplemented by key informant interviews and extensive participant observation, I examined the information practices of youth in the contexts of leisure and settlement. The findings point to the challenges youth faced in meeting their information needs, as well as the complexity, nuance and tension youth found in their leisure pursuits. Leisure was not a single, unified concept for newcomer youth, and the activities youth took part in included a wide range of pleasures, with some constraints and even contradictions as well. By offering a snapshot of the lives and information practices of a group of newcomer youth, this research makes a contribution to information studies research as it adds to the growing body of human information behaviour (HIB) literature regarding the information practices of immigrants and refugees. It documents the information practices and leisure of newcomers, focusing on two understudied groups - refugees and youth - but also uniquely situates these practices within the broader context of settlement. The contextualization of HIB research on immigrants and refugees is vital if we are to better understand newcomers’ lives and practices, as well as design and deliver services that meet their needs. ii Acknowledgments I am grateful for the support of my family, research participants, friends, colleagues and mentors in helping me to reach this goal and earn my doctorate. My husband Christoph and our son, Alexander, have been amazing and unwavering, full of love and encouragement for me during this entire process. My parents and siblings have also been wonderful, cheering me on through the years – a special thank you to my sister, Linda, for her sage advice and patient support. Thank you as well to my research participants who kindly took the time to share their experiences with me, and inspired me with their resilience and strength. My friends and colleagues, in particular Lysanne Lessard, Susan MacDonald, Danielle Allard, Diane Dechief, Kamara Jeffrey and Karen Smith, have been incredible companions in this journey and I’ve always valued their friendship and thoughts, whether on conference papers, dissertation work or life in general. To my supervisor, Dr. Nadia Caidi and committee members Dr. Jenna Hartel and Dr. Lynne Howarth: thank you for your generosity and excellent guidance through this process and for believing in me and my project. For the research scholarships that funded this study, a special thank you to the Faculty of Information, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program, and CERIS – The Ontario Metropolis Centre. Support from the City of Toronto’s wonderful daycare fee subsidy program was also immensely helpful and much appreciated. iii Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Research rationale ............................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Conceptual links guiding the study of information practices and leisure across settlement ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Study motivation, objectives and research questions ......................................................... 5 1.4 Research significance .......................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Chapter conclusion .............................................................................................................. 7 2 Literature Review ....................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Chapter overview ................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Migration and settlement as a context for human information behaviour .......................... 9 2.2.1 Defining migration and settlement .......................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Afghan newcomer, refugee and youth settlement ................................................. 10 2.2.3 Studying information behaviour in the context of migration ................................ 13 2.3 Leisure in the context of migration and settlement ........................................................... 24 2.3.1 Defining leisure ..................................................................................................... 24 2.3.2 Newcomer leisure ................................................................................................. 25 2.4 Chapter conclusion ............................................................................................................ 28 3 Methods .................................................................................................................................... 29 3.1 Chapter overview .............................................................................................................. 29 3.2 Research design ................................................................................................................ 29 3.2.1 Exploratory, qualitative, ethnographic research ................................................... 29 3.2.2 Ensuring trustworthiness ....................................................................................... 31 3.3 Data collection .................................................................................................................. 32 3.3.1 Entering the field ................................................................................................... 32 iv 3.3.2 Insider vs. outsider status ...................................................................................... 34 3.3.3 Challenges in conducting participant observation ................................................ 34 3.3.4 Interviews with settlement workers ...................................................................... 35 3.3.5 Interviews with youth ........................................................................................... 37 3.3.6 Characteristics of youth interview participants ..................................................... 39 3.3.7 Amount and type of data collected ....................................................................... 40 3.4 Data analysis, theme selection and writing ....................................................................... 41 3.4.1 Open coding .......................................................................................................... 43 3.4.2 Theme selection and focused coding .................................................................... 44 3.4.3 Writing integrative memos and excerpt-commentary units .................................. 45 3.5 Chapter conclusion ............................................................................................................ 45 4 Exploring the settlement of Afghan youth in Toronto ............................................................. 47 4.1 Chapter overview .............................................................................................................. 47 4.2 Introducing the participants .............................................................................................. 47 4.2.1 Ghorashka ............................................................................................................. 47 4.2.2 Abdur Rahman ...................................................................................................... 48 4.2.3 Khalid .................................................................................................................... 48 4.2.4 Abdul ..................................................................................................................... 49 4.2.5 Samira ................................................................................................................... 49 4.2.6 Huma ..................................................................................................................... 50 4.2.7 Yasir ...................................................................................................................... 50 4.3 Settlement challenges ........................................................................................................ 50 4.3.1 Difficulties in meeting information needs ............................................................ 51 4.3.2 The effects of uncertain residency status .............................................................. 51 4.3.3 Cultural differences ..............................................................................................