DOCSLIB.ORG

The Identity Formation Experiences of Second Wave Argentinian Immigrants to Canada

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Identity Formation Experiences of Second Wave Argentinian Immigrants to Canada The Identity Formation Experiences of Second Wave Argentinian Immigrants to Canada by Pamela Evangelina Groh A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © 2013, Pamela Evangelina Groh Abstract The thesis explores the processes of identity formation among high-skilled Argentinian immigrants to Canada’s National Capital Region on the basis of a mixed method qualitative research consisting of 14 interviews with Argentinian professionals who migrated to Canada since 1999, participant observation and the analysis of Internet blogs. The thesis examines the identity formation experiences of these immigrants as the “meeting point” of social conditions of migration and personal practices of reacting, reflecting and feeling. Approaching identity as fluid, relational, strategic, positional, and always developing, I argue that the ‘new’ identities that Argentinian immigrants have developed are linked to two main relational processes, namely identification and differentiation. By critically examining the ‘location’ of these immigrants in Canadian society, I suggest the group’s experiences of integration and marginalization are interconnected to these relational processes influencing their notions of who they are in Canada. ii Acknowledgements I want to express my sincere and profound gratitude to the thesis Director, Dr. Xiaobei Chen, for an incredibly dedicated work of supervision. I am indebted to Xiaobei for sharing with me her expertise and knowledge and also for treating me with kindness, fairness, respect, and for always providing a space for me to explore my ideas and express myself with freedom. I am grateful for her confidence and trust in me and for her continued encouragement along this journey. I also deeply thank Committee Members Dr. Janet Siltanen and Dr. Laura Macdonald for their close guidance, for sharing with me the wealth of their experience, and for encouraging me to explore beyond my comfort zone. I have learned immensely from you and I thank Janet for awakening in me a true passion for research methodology. I am grateful to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, especially to Dr. Aaron Doyle and Ms. Paula Whissell for their continued support and for making my stay at Carleton University a truly positive experience. I am indebted to research participants for sharing with me their views, opinions and insights and it is my sincere hope that I have honoured their contributions by writing about ‘our’ identity with the respect it deserves. I also thank mentors who, one way or another, have taught and guided me in the past. I especially thank Dr. Fatemeh Givechian for sharing with me wonderful life (and ethnographic) lessons. I thank my parents, Olga and Jorge, for their support, trust and unconditional love. I am grateful to them for giving me everything they have, for teaching me perseverance and for inspiring me with their own lives. I thank my sisters, Jésica and Analís, for their continued presence, words of encouragement, wisdom and love. I especially thank my baby niece, Bianca, for her beautiful smiles, which can truly lighten up the writing process. I thank Mariana and Gabriel, ‘mis amigos del alma’, for their love, patience, contention and company in the past eleven years. I thank you both for being there and for showing me the real meaning of friendship. ., I thank and dedicate this thesis to Ivo. For always encouraging me to improve myself yet for loving me exactly as I am. Y con profundo agradecimiento a Dios. Por su constante compañía y por haber encontrado mi camino con el de estas personas. iii Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vi List of Appendices ........................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Argentinian Immigrants to Canada: Introduction and Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 The Five Waves of Latin American Immigration to Canada ......................................... 5 1.2 Identities, Colonialism, and Nation Building ................................................................. 9 1.3 Aims of the Thesis ........................................................................................................ 23 1.4 Outline of Thesis Chapters ........................................................................................... 25 1.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 2: Talking, Seeing, and Reading Identity: The Research Methodology ..... 28 2.1 Sources of Data ............................................................................................................. 32 2.2 Research Participants' Profiles ..................................................................................... 34 2.3 Accessing Participants and Other Opportunities to Conduct Research ........................ 39 2.4 My Role as a Researcher: On the Degree of Involvement as an 'Insider' .................... 41 2.5 Data Analysis Techniques ............................................................................................ 47 2.6 Stories of "Argentinian-ness": Main Narratives and Methodological Adjustments ..... 50 2.7 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 3: “I Say From Argentina, but Being a Canadian Citizen Gives Me Great Satisfaction”: Identifications and Differentiations ..................................................... 58 3.1 Argentinian Identity Formation Experiences in the Context of Migration to Canada .. 62 3.2 On the Fluidity of Identity and the Emotional Connection .......................................... 81 iv 3.3 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 87 Chapter 4: On the Verge of Belonging: the Partial Inclusion of ‘Others’ into Canadian Society ............................................................................................................ 89 4.1 The Location of Argentinian Immigrants in Canadian Society: on Being Included, but Only Conditionally ........................................................................................................... 93 4.2 Whiteness, Skills, and Degrees of Inclusion …………………………………………... 97 4.3 Accents, Credentials, and Degrees of Exclusion .............................................................. 99 4.4 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 113 Chapter 5 “I am Interested in Understanding the Place Where I Live… and From There, I Can Feel I Belong”: Conclusions ................................................................. 115 5.1 The Formation of 'New' Identities and the Location of Argentinian Immigrants in Canadian Society ........................................................................................................... 116 5.2 Final Thoughts on Moving Forward .............................................................................. 123 Appendices ..................................................................................................................... 126 Appendix A General Interview Questionnaire For Research Participants .............................. 126 A.1 Interview Questionnaire for Research Participants. English Version .................... 126 A.2 Interview Questionnaire for Research Participants. Spanish Version .................... 128 Appendix B Interview Questionnaire for Blogger ................................................................... 131 B.1 Interview Questionnaire for Blogger. English Version .......................................... 131 B.2 Interview Questionnaire for Blogger. Spanish Version ......................................... 134 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 143 v List of Tables Table 1 Latin Americans in Canada’s major cities as of 2001 ................................................ 137 Table 2 Latin Americans in Canada’s major cities as of 2006 ................................................ 138 Table 3 First Wave of Argentinian Immigration to Canada 1970s .......................................... 139 Table 4 Central and South American Immigration to Canada: 1968 to 1995 ........................ 140 Table 5 Second Wave of Argentinian Immigration to Canada 2000s ..................................... 141 Table 6 Latin American Immigration to Canada in 2007 by Main Countries of Origin ......... 142 vi List of Appendices Appendix A General Interview Questionnaire for Research Participants ............................... 126 A.1 Interview
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Spectral Latinidad: the Work of Latinx Migrants and Small Charities in London
    The London School of Economics and Political Science Spectral Latinidad: the work of Latinx migrants and small charities in London Ulises Moreno-Tabarez A thesis submitted to the Department of Geography and Environment of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, December 2018 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 93,762 words. Page 2 of 255 Abstract This thesis asks: what is the relationship between Latina/o/xs and small-scale charities in London? I find that their relationship is intersectional and performative in the sense that political action is induced through their interactions. This enquiry is theoretically guided by Derrida's metaphor of spectrality and Massey's understanding of space. Derrida’s spectres allow for an understanding of space as spectral, and Massey’s space allows for spectres to be understood in the context of spatial politics.
    [Show full text]
  • Becoming Latin American Canadian
    In-Between Cultures: Becoming Latin American Canadian by Josue Tario A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Social Justice Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Josue Tario, 2017 In-Between Cultures: Becoming Latin American Canadian Josue Tario Master of Arts Social Justice Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto 2017 Abstract Rooted in my own experiences and extending to phenomenological interviews with seven Latin American Canadian youth between the ages of 18 and 29 in the Greater Toronto Area, this thesis examines how the dominant educational and cultural narratives shape the heterogeneous ways in which they perceive themselves and others. Findings show that such narratives engender a sense of in-betweenness among Latin American Canadian youth that both inhibit and empower them in pursuing self-fulfillment. This study juxtaposes these findings to feminist pedagogies of “third space” and “critical spirituality” which have the ability to enhance the educational experiences of not just Latin American Canadian students but all participants in education. The overarching objective of this thesis, however, transcends the case study and explores the intersections between discourse, identity formation and agency, proposing critical spirituality as a practice enabling agency and as a transformational “punctum” that embraces the process of becoming over being. ii Acknowledgments I would like to sincerely thank my thesis supervisor, Dr. Miglena Todorova. Her patience and instruction were imperative for this project to be completed. Along with her theoretical insight and pedagogical awareness, the emotional and spiritual support she provided throughout the entire process was immensely pivotal for me to keep going.
    [Show full text]
  • Taking Root: Media, Community, and Belonging in Ottawa April Bella
    Taking Root: Media, Community, and Belonging in Ottawa April Bella Lilas Carriere A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctorate in Philosophy in Political Science School of Political Studies Faculty of Social Sciences University of Ottawa © April Bella Lilas Carriere, Ottawa, Canada, 2016 For my grand-mother, Lili, who, through her love, support, and indomitable spirit, instilled in me everything I needed to follow my dreams II TABLE OF CONTENTS Legend ........................................................................................................................................ VI Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... VII Preface ..................................................................................................................................... VIII Chapter 1 – Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Guiding Research Questions and Hypothesis ............................................................................. 5 Thesis Outline.............................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 2 – Literature Review, theoretical framework, and Methodology ................................... 8 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Hemispheric Racial Formations: Making Sense of Central and South
    Hemispheric racial formations: Making sense of Central and South Americans’ experience of race and ethnicity in Toronto, Canada Winning Essay of the 2020 Graduate-level Michael Baptista Essay Prize by Giovanni Carranza-Hernandez BAPTISTA PRIZEWINNING ESSAYS The Baptista Prizewinning Essays include papers submitted as coursework at York University that have been nominated by instructors and selected annually by a committee of CERLAC Fellows. The selection committee does not suggest any editorial changes, and prize-winning essays may be slated for publication elsewhere. All responsibility for views and analysis lies with the author. The Michael Baptista Essay Prize was established by the friends of Michael Baptista and the Royal Bank of Canada. This $500 Prize is awarded annually to both a graduate and an undergraduate student at York University in recognition of an outstanding scholarly essay of relevance to the area of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, from the humanities, social science, business or legal perspective. Reproduction: All rights reserved to the author(s). Reproduction in whole or in part of this work is allowed for research and education purposes as long as no fee is charged beyond shipping, handling, and reproduction costs. Reproduction for commercial purposes is not allowed. CERLAC 8th floor, YRT 4700 Keele Street York University Toronto, Ontario Canada M3J 1P3 Phone: (416) 736-5237 Email: [email protected] Hemispheric racial formations: Making sense of Central and South Americans’ experience of race and ethnicity in Toronto, Canada By: Giovanni Carranza-Hernandez PhD candidate Dissertation supervisor: Dr. Luin Goldring Toronto is celebrated as a shining example of a multicultural urban centre.
    [Show full text]
  • Racism in All Forms and Denounce Social, Economic, and Educational Inequities to Which Ethnocultural Groups Are Subject
    MINUTES - LDRRAC Education Committee - August 13, 2015, at 10:00 a.m, London Public Library Downtown In Attendance:- Ian Silver, Chair; Jessica Hill; Michelle Lynne Goodfellow; Shirley Honyust. Regrets: Chad Callander; Suzanne Morrison ; Fae Andrighetti 1. Website a. Michelle will discuss the potential website with Jackie Martin, and report back to the subcommittee 2. Diversity Definitions a. We have obtained permission from the Halifax School Board to use their definitions, as attached. b. To replace the Nova Scotia First Nations terms used in the document, Jessica has prepared the attached glossary of local First Nations Terms 3. Two databases are attached – the Database of Cultural and Ethnic Groups is excerpted from the Website of Information London, with the addition of weblinks, where available. In addition, rthe list of religious and cultural clubs at Western University is attached, excerpted from the WUUCC Website. 4. The subcommittee will review the LGBTQTT definitions, and report after the next meeting. 5. Reception for the Awards Ceremony a. Quotes will be requested from Steeltown Catering and the City Hall caterer, and provided at the LDRRAC meeting, to a maximum of $600 b. Two members of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Human Rights Museum are located in Toronto. We will contact both, to see if either would be available to give a brief talk at the receptions. Those names are appended. We would recommend paying reasonable transportation costs, to a maximum of $200. 6. At Shirley’s request, a copy of our existing brochure is attached. a. The subcommittee is recommending these be translated into Oneida and Ojibwa, to a total cost not to exceed $300 Respectfully submitted, Ian Silver m Home b About the HRSB b Board Services b Diversity Management Diversity Definitions The following definitions of terms are provided to assist users with the general understanding of issues related to diversity management.
    [Show full text]
  • Our Immigration Saga: Canada@150
    SPRING 2017 Our Immigration Saga: Canada@150 In collaboration with RANDY BOSWELL MADELINE ZINIAK DORA NIPP VICTOR ARMONY MONICA MACDONALD LINTON GARNER TIMOTHY J. STANLEY FARID ROHANI JACK JEDWAB MYER SIEMIATYCKI STEVE SCHWINGHAMER MORTON WEINFELD AVVY GO RATNA GHOSH TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 INTRODUCTION IMMIGRANTS’ STORIES OF SETBACKS AND RESILIENCE KEEP REWRITING — AND ENRICHING — OUR NATIONAL NARRATIVE Randy Boswell 9 WHY DO WE NEED A MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION? Monica MacDonald 13 MIGRATION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CANADA’S HISTORICAL NARRATIVE Jack Jedwab 18 THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE LUCKY: IMMIGRATION AND THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE Morton Weinfeld 22 ETHNIC MEDIA IN CANADA: THE POWER OF REFLECTION; A LINK TO NATION BUILDING AND IDENTITY Madeline Ziniak 26 HISTORICAL ISSUES AROUND BLACK IMMIGRATION TO CANADA AND HOW THEY HAVE AFFECTED THE BLACK COMMUNITY Linton Garner 31 CANADA 150: THE JEWISH IMPRINT Myer Siemiatycki 35 SHADES OF IMMIGRATION PAST: THE EXPERIENCE OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS Avvy Go & Dora Nipp 40 THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS TO CANADIAN SOCIETY Timothy J. Stanley 44 “THIS IS TICKLISH BUSINESS”: UNDESIRABLE RELIGIOUS GROUPS AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR Steven Schwinghamer 53 SOUTH ASIAN IMMIGRATION TO CANADA Ratna Ghosh 57 SETTLING NORTH OF THE U.S. BORDER: CANADA’S LATINOS AND THE PARTICULAR CASE OF QUÉBEC Victor Armony 62 LEAVING A LAND WITH LIMITS AND TAKING OWNERSHIP OF AN ADOPTED NATION Farid Rohani CANADIAN ISSUES IS PUBLISHED BY ASSOCIATION FOR CANADIAN STUDIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS Canadian Issues is a quarterly publication of the Association THE HONOURABLE HERBERT MARX Montréal, Québec, acting Chair of the Board for Canadian Studies (ACS).
    [Show full text]
  • Entre Nosotras: Latin American Women's Perspectives on Leadership by Bixidu Lobo-Molnar a Thesis Submitted in Conformity With
    Entre Nosotras: Latin American women’s perspectives on leadership by Bixidu Lobo-Molnar A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Graduate Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto © Copyright by Bixidu Lobo-Molnar (2012) Entre Nosotras: Latin American women’s perspectives on leadership Bixidu Lobo-Molnar Master of Arts Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education University of Toronto 2012 Abstract This thesis examines the significance of gaining an understanding of leadership that is both culturally appropriate and contextually relevant to its participants. In particular, this study takes up leadership as a process, experienced differently given one’s positionality. It also honors the work of Latin American (LA) women in Canada and interviews members of a LA women’s organization, pseudo-named Nosotras in an effort to begin to unravel the complexities of leadership and leadership training programs for young women. Interviewees contribute to the research through their knowledge on three main questions: (1) What does leadership mean? (2) What are its challenges? (3) How have you come to know leadership? My findings show that having a common vision of leadership is only the tip of the iceberg. A Latina Feminista lens that queers el liderazgo creates spaces to understand nuances, silences, and power dynamics embedded in current leadership processes and models. Key words: Latina Feminista, liderazgo, positionality theory, silence, challenges, and resistance. ii Acknowledgements I began to write this paper at the crossroads of my personal experience and conversations with other Latina women who expressed concerns and shared similar experiences inside and outside a small agency.
    [Show full text]
  • Labour Force Survey, August 2020 Released at 8:30 A.M
    Labour Force Survey, August 2020 Released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time in The Daily, Friday, September 4, 2020 Context: COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease The August Labour Force Survey (LFS) results reflect labour market conditions as of the week of August 9 to 15, five months following the onset of the COVID-19 economic shutdown. By mid-August, public health restrictions had substantially eased across the country and more businesses and workplaces had re-opened. Assessing the labour market as lifting of COVID-19 restrictions continues This LFS release continues to integrate the international standard concepts such as employment and unemployment with supplementary indicators that help to monitor the labour market as restrictions are lifted and capture the full scope of the impacts of COVID-19. A series of survey enhancements were continued in August, including supplementary questions on working from home, workplace adaptations and financial capacity. New questions were added on concerns related to returning to usual workplaces and receipt of federal COVID-19 support payments. This release also includes, for the second time, information on the labour market conditions of population groups designated as visible minorities. Through the addition of a new survey question and the introduction of new statistical methods, the LFS is now able to more fully determine the impact of the COVID-19 economic shutdown on diverse groups of Canadians. Data from the LFS are based on a sample of more than 50,000 households. Statistics Canada continued to protect the health and safety of Canadians in August by adjusting the processes involved in survey operations.
    [Show full text]
  • Linguistic Landscapes
    This is the published version of the bachelor thesis: Gorba Masip, Celia; Moyer, Melissa, dir. Linguistic landscapes : a snapshot of multilingualism and language ideologies in Cabbagetown (Toronto). 2015. 62 pag. (836 Grau en Estudis d’Anglès i Espanyol) This version is available at https://ddd.uab.cat/record/137852 under the terms of the license Linguistic Landscapes: A Snapshot of Multilingualism and Language Ideologies in Cabbagetown (Toronto) TFG Estudis d’Anglès i Espanyol Supervisor: Melissa Moyer Celia Gorba Masip June 2015 Table of Contents: 1. Introduction, 2 2. Research Questions, 5 3. Literature Review, 8 4. Context and Methodology, 13 4.1. Context, 13 4.1.1. Canada, 13 4.1.2. Ontario, 15 4.1.3. Toronto, 18 4.1.4. Cabbagetown, 19 4.1.4.1. History of Cabbagetown, 19 4.4.2.. Immigrants and Languages in Cabbagetown, 21 4.2. Linguistic minority groups, 22 4.2.1. Japanese Canadians, 22 4.2.2. Tamil Canadians, 24 4.2.3. Chinese Canadians, 25 4.2.4. Korean Canadians, 26 4.2.5. Latin American Canadians, 27 4.3. Methodology, 27 5. Analysis, 29 6. Conclusions, 42 7. References, 45 8. Appendices i 8.1. Appendix A – Classification of Signs 8.2. Appendix B – Pictures (CD) ii Table of figures: Figure 1. Immigration in Canada Figure 2. Immigration per province Figure 3. Ontario’s population Figure 4. Mother tongues in Ontario Figure 5. Home languages in Ontario Figure 6. Immigration in Toronto Figure 7. Picture ‘Welcome to Cabbagetown’ Figure 8. Map of Cabbagetown Figure 9. Languages in Cabbagetown Figure 10.
    [Show full text]
  • Debates of the Senate
    DEBATES OF THE SENATE 1st SESSION • 42nd PARLIAMENT • VOLUME 150 • NUMBER 163 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, November 29, 2017 The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates Services: D’Arcy McPherson, National Press Building, Room 906, Tel. 613-995-5756 Publications Centre: Kim Laughren, National Press Building, Room 926, Tel. 613-947-0609 Published by the Senate Available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 4261 THE SENATE Wednesday, November 29, 2017 The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. make a better life for himself and his family in Canada. With that in mind, he worked tirelessly to ensure this same opportunity was Prayers. afforded to many deserving immigrants who now also call Canada home. He also used his time as a senator to draw attention to some of the most overlooked people in our society, SENATORS’ STATEMENTS including caregivers and people with disabilities. VISITORS IN THE GALLERY Before being named to this place in 2012, upon the recommendation of our former Prime Minister the Right The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw Honourable Stephen Harper, Tobias Enverga was already a your attention to the presence in the gallery of family members of trailblazer with a history of public service. In 2008, he founded our late colleague Senator Enverga: his wife Mrs. Rosemer the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation, to assist various A. Enverga and daughters Rystle, Rocel and Reeza, accompanied community charitable needs. In 2010, he became the first by other members of their extended family.
    [Show full text]
  • Canada's Latinos and the Particular Case of Québec
    lasaforum fall 2015 : volume xlvi : issue 4 DEBATES: GLOBAL LATIN(O) AMERICANOS Settling North of the U.S. Border: Canada’s Latinos and the Particular Case of Québec by VICTOR ARMONY | Université du Québec à Montréal | [email protected] The case of Latin American Canadians 1970s and the 1990s, most immigrants If we take the narrowest definition possible offers an exceptional opportunity to from Latin America came to Canada for and consider a Latin American to be any examine and compare how minorities are political reasons (i.e., fleeing military person born in a Latin American country constructed and transformed in different dictatorships in South America and civil (that is, a first-generation immigrant), we host societies. Minorities are shaped wars in Central America). However, since see that this group represents just about 6 differently by their societal context, and the 1990s, and even more clearly during percent of all immigrants in Canada. Canada is especially relevant in that regard the following decades, most Latin However, its growth rate is roughly three because of the existence of two main Americans in Canada have been admitted times higher than that of the overall dominant cultural environments— under the “economic category”: 70 percent immigrant population (32 vs. 10 percent grounded on political and territorial in 2012. This means, in general terms, that between 1996 and 2001; 47 vs. 12.7 configurations—within the same country: they have been granted permanent percent between 2001 and 2006; 49 vs. an English-language Canadian majority at residency on account of their prospective 12.9 percent between 2006 and 2011), due the national level and a French-language employability as skilled workers in Canada, to the increasing share of Latin American Québécois majority in Canada’s second a condition evaluated on the basis of their newcomers, most of them having arrived most-populated province.
    [Show full text]
  • Download The
    SENSE OF IDENTITY LOSS AND CONTINUITY IN NARRATIVES OF IMMIGRATION OF A GROUP OF LATIN AMERICAN CANADIAN WOMEN by Nancy Espinoza-Magana B.Sc. Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 1996 M.Sc. Rice University, 1999 M.A. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2006 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Counselling Psychology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2013 © Nancy Espinoza-Magana, 2013 Abstract Drawing from an action theory and other perspectives on identity, which emphasize individuals' social processes and contextual factors, and utilizing a social constructivist approach, this inquiry proposes an understanding of the participants' immigration experiences. This secondary analysis explored the narratives of 25 semistructured interviews conducted in 2002 with Latin American immigrant and refugee women. Using a categorical-content (thematic) analysis, this qualitative research aimed to address the women's sense of identity loss and continuity in their narratives of immigration. Moving to Canada became problematic for half of the women when they experienced a sense of identity loss influenced by challenges of immigration. ii Preface This inquiry is a secondary analysis of narratives of immigration existing in the City of Richmond Archives. These narratives were brought together by a research project that interviewed 25 Latin American Canadian (LAC) immigrant and refugee women in 2002. In chapter 3, I explain how I conducted a categorical-content (thematic) narrative analysis of the narratives of immigration of 25 LAC immigrant women and the criteria for evaluating the findings.
    [Show full text]