Identity and Professional Trajectories of Eastern European Immigrant
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ASU Digital Repository Identity and Professional Trajectories of Eastern European Immigrant Women in the United States by Kateryna A. Ellis A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved February 2014 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Angela Arzubiaga, Chair Kathryn Nakagawa Elizabeth Kozleski ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY May 2014 ABSTRACT The immigration process changes personal narratives and professional trajectories and challenges identities and individual beliefs. Yet there is currently limited research on European women immigrants’ transitions in the United States. This study examines personal and professional trajectories, in the United States, of Eastern European immigrant (EEI) women with prior educational attainment in their country of origin. This study examines the following issues: personal/social learning, developmental and professional experiences prior to and post migration, and social lives after the women’s arrival in the United States. The study discusses the results of in-depth interviews with eight EEI women living in Arizona and California and recounts these women’s life stories, gathered through open-ended questions that focused on areas of their personal and professional lives, such as childhood, marriage, immigration, education, family relations, socio-economic status, employment, child- rearing, and other significant life events. These areas impacted the women’s creation of personal beliefs and their ability to develop new identities in the United States. The study examines EEI women’s identity constructions within their life trajectory narratives. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I dedicate this dissertation to my daughters, Angelica Josephina Ellis and Natalie Josephina Ellis, who are the lights of my life and my biggest achievements in life. These girls are my inspiration for a successful future. This dissertation is my way to show my daughters that women can have it all: a loving family, beautiful and smart children, and a professional career. These remarkable daughters saw their mommy spending a lot of hours by the computer, always wondering when mommy would have more free time. I know that they did not fully understand what I was doing, but I hope they never forget that I love them and believe in them, always and forever. I also dedicate this writing to my dear husband, Joseph Ellis, in my eyes, one of the greatest individuals. Someone with whom I am lucky to have fallen in love and built a family. He saw me through everyday struggles that at times seemed overwhelming. He gave me strength and encouragement to complete my study. I also dedicate this dissertation to my beautiful and remarkably strong mother, Larisa Nikolaevna Marsala. She was the person who inspired me to always do and be my best. She proved that dreams do come true and that I should follow my dreams. She has always provided me with support, help, and encouragement. She has continued to push me, and she is and always will be my biggest supporter. I want her to know that I love her with all of my heart. Finally, I dedicate this work to my father, Alexander Olegovish Kalachykhin, whose strong feelings about my decision to remain in the United States I heard more than once. I want him to know that I will always love him and that my choices in life always reflect my upbringing. I hope he is proud of what I have accomplished in a foreign country. ii I am eternally grateful to my committee members, who happen to be three of the most brilliant women I have been fortunate enough to know. I want to thank them for all of the guidance, support, encouragement, and criticism I received through my graduate journey. With their help, I was able to navigate the densities of a doctoral program and complete my dissertation. I cannot say thank you enough to Dr. Angela Arzubiaga, Dr. Kathryn Nakagawa, and Dr. Elizabeth Kozlesky. Their work and guidance will eternally inspire me through my educational career. Also, thanks to my editor, Catherine Pavia. To my participants, Olga, Maria, Tanya, Masha, Dasha, Natasha, Svetlana, and Alena, my deepest thanks to for sharing their stories. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………..ix LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………….x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION…........................................................................................................1 Rationale for this Study...........................................................................................3 Overview of the Dissertation ..................................................................................4 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK……………………………………………………....7 3 LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………………………...12 Eastern European Migration………………………………………………….….12 Immigration and Identity……………………………….…..................................15 Eastern European Women and Gender Expectations and Limitations………….………………………………………………………........21 A Brief History of Education, Careers, and the Workforce in the Former Soviet Union…………………………………………………………………………….24 A Review of the History of Higher Education in the Former Soviet Union…….25 A Brief Review of Personal, Social, and Career Changes Due to Immigration…28 Employment Changes……………………………………………………28 Educational Choices……………………………………………………..30 Language Acquisition……………………………………………………31 Cultural Identity………………………………………………………….31 4 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………...…..34 iv CHAPTER Page Adopting a Narrative Methodology for the Sociocultural Study of Eastern European Immigrant Women………………………………………………….....34 An Explanation of and Rationale for Narrative Inquiry……………...….34 The Relationship between Narrative and Inquiry………………………..36 Episodic and Autobiographical Interviews………………………………38 Narrative Inquiry in this Study…………………………………………..39 Interview Techniques………………………………………………………..…...41 Sections and Recruitment of Participants……………………………………......41 Participants……………………………………………………………….……...43 Data Collection………………………………………………………….……….44 Procedures…...…………………………………………………………….……..46 Trustworthiness of the Research………………………………………………....47 Data Analysis………………………………………………………………….…50 Method of Narrative Data Analysis……………………………………………...51 5 FINDINGS……………………………………………………………………..……....54 Personal, Professional, and Social Development in Countries of the Former Soviet Union……………………………………………………………………………..55 Individual Needs and Wants……………………………………………..55 Immediate and Extended Family Relationships………………………....55 Secret Dreams and Desires………………………………………………57 Sociocultural Factors before Migration……………………………….....59 Professional Career Interests and Actions……………………………….61 v CHAPTER Page Sociocultural Expectations……………………………………………….61 Pursuit of Education……………………………………………………...63 Expectations of Employment…………………………………………….63 Personal, Professional, and Social Development in the United States………......66 Personal Negotiations of Linguistic, Family, Individual, and Economic Realities…………………………………………………………………..67 Second Language Barrier………………………………………….…......67 Impact of Family Responsibilities……………………………………….68 Being an Equal Partner…………………………………………………..69 Restraining of Personal Matters………………………………………….71 Reality of Financial Instability…………………………………………...72 Professional Barriers and Discrimination Regarding Education and Work Experience………………………………………………………………..73 Lack of Recognition of Previous Education and Work Experiences…….74 Maintaining Prior Career Paths…………………………………………..76 Differences in Workplace Culture………………………………..……...78 Impact of Employment Discrimination……………………………..…...78 Socioeconomic Forces and Social Status………………………………...81 Cultural Identity Differences…………………………………………….81 Impact of Immigration Status………………………………………..…..84 Existence or Absence of Support Networks…………………..…………84 Personal and Professional Social Status…………………………………87 vi CHAPTER Page Personal, Professional, and Social Identity Evolution Over Time and Participants' Plans for the Future………………..…………………….…89 Centrality of Professional Identity………………………………...…..…90 Re-imagining of Personal, Social, and Professional Life Trajectories………………………………………………………………………92 Evolution of Personal Life Trajectories…………………………….…...92 Emotions towards and Attitudes about Immigration……………….....…93 The Emotional Need for Balance………………………….…………….96 Support from Husbands…………………………………………….........97 Evolution of Professional Trajectories and Associated Emotions….......101 Loss of Career and Associated Identity………………………………...102 Re-establishing Pre-migration Professional Identities………………….104 New Careers and New Personal Definitions…………………..………..105 The Range of Emotions Evoked by the Job Search……………...……..107 Preferred Social Relationships……………………………….………....111 Family Cultures…………………………………………………………112 Balancing Cultures…………………………………………………...…113 The Importance of Social Connections for the Job Search……………..115 Looking to the Future………………………………………………...…117 Future Employment………………………………………...…………..118 Future Support………………………………………….……………....119 Prioritizing Trajectories…………………………………….…………..119 vii CHAPTER Page Suggestions………….……………………………………………………….…120 6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION………………………......………...............…....125 Social Acceptance………………………………………….…..............126 Personal Struggles……………………………………………………....131 Professional Disorientation……………………..……………................133 Family Matters…………………………………………………….……135 Accent……………………………………………………..…................139 Cultural Differences………………………..………………..………….140