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'Homeland' in the Identity Narratives of Romanians in Ireland

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'Homeland' in the Identity Narratives of Romanians in Ireland DOI: 10.1515/irsr-2011-0015 IRSR INTERNATIONAL REVIEW of SOCIAL RESEARCH Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2011, 125-143 International Review of Social Research Stories of Love and Hate. Images of ‘Homeland’ in the Identity Narratives of Romanians in Ireland Gloria MACRI• Dublin City University Abstract: Identity is a term that has sparked criticisms in the academic debates, with some scholars fully embracing this rather insufficiently defined concept, whereas others militate for its complete removal from the vocabulary of social sciences. However, in spite of the fierce criticism, identity research has become a central part of the social sciences. Striving to address some of the existing challenges in identity scholarship, the research presented in this article focuses on the diaspora identity narratives of Romanians in Ireland. By adopting a constructivist perspective on identity, this is a study of the continuously flowing boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’, as well as of the boundaries where the symbolic space is negotiated and identities are fiercely debated, constructed and re-constructed. While Romanians use a multitude of ‘other’ groups against which they construct their diaspora identities, one of the key markers used in their identity narratives is their relation with the ancestral homeland. Interesting findings have emerged, as Romanians talked about their mixed feelings towards their homeland and their fellow countrymen. As these narratives of the homeland unfold, it becomes clear they bear a strong imprint on their diaspora identity and feelings of belonging. The study presents an analysis of data collected over a six-year period (2004-2010) in the archives of the online discussion forum of the Romanian community from Ireland. Keywords: diaspora, identity, boundaries, online, homeland, Ireland, migration Introduction Allport’s book The Nature of Prejudice (1954) to have played a considerable Since the publication of the works of role in linking identity to ethnicity. Erik Erikson and Gordon Allport in the This strand of research has since then late 1950s and early 1960s, identity has flourished and, particularly in the emerged as a key topic in the social field of migration studies, research on sciences. Many scholars consider identity and belonging has thrived over •email: [email protected]. This research was funded under the IRCHSS (Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences) - Government of Ireland Post-Graduate Scholarship Scheme. © University of Bucharest, June 2011 126 | IRSR Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2011 the last two decades. Mandaville (2001) in relation to its empirical applications. attributes a key role in the expansion ddOne of the main critiques addressed of this particular strand of research to to the constructionist approach is that the intense search and negotiation of it is believed to have destroyed the identity in which diasporas engage due rationale for talking about identities to their physical separation from the (Brubaker and Cooper, 2000). The two ‘natural’ setting of the homeland. authors argue that identities in the post- ddJust like all main concepts in the modern acceptance are too ambiguous social sciences, ‘identity’ has got its and ‘infinitely elastic’ (Brubaker and fair share of fierce debate around its Cooper, 2000) and the concept became meaning and also around its alleged an increasingly popular term precisely utility for the social sciences. Stuart because it ‘could be adjusted to fit Hall, one of the main contributors to the various meanings granted to it’ the scholarship on identity, signals the (Georgiou, 2006: 39). major shifts in the definitions of this ddEven more voices signalled the disputed concept throughout its history, difficulty in using the concept of from the ‘old’ essentialising perspective identity in empirical research. On one on identity (identity as a ‘given’, a static hand this is a direct consequence of the reality) to a post-modern approach to ambiguity surrounding the concept. identity (identity as a process which Social researchers are bound to answer undergoes continuous construction and a pressing question in relation to how re-construction) (Hall, 1994). is identity to be measured empirically: ddAccording to Hall (1994), post- what aspects of identity need to be modern identity needs to be understood included in the measurement to ensure as an open-ended project, which is relevance, while also avoiding an all- negotiated and re-negotiated in different inclusive but meaningless viewpoint? situations and contexts. Identity is On the other hand, there are concerns thus not only about ‘being’, but also about the reliability of the concept about ‘becoming’ (Triandafyllidou of identity as a variable in empirical and Wodak, 2003). Moreover, the research: if identity has become post-modern individual is no longer fragmented and dynamic, then would it believed to have a single, homogenous still be a useful concept and a reliable identity (Giddens, 1991; Husband, variable to be used in social research? 2005), but rather a fragmented one ddAs many questions still remain to which the individual assembles (just be answered, it becomes evident that like a mosaic) from a wide array of while ‘identity’ is still very much an possible identifications. important concept in social sciences, ddAlthough the post-modern identity it is not without its own intricacies. approach may appear to solve some There is yet no single, clear definition of the key problematic issues in of identity and the concept tends to understanding identity, it has also acquire new meanings in different generated a significant amount of instances of its use. In spite of the debate and criticism. Arguments have multiple difficulties in coming to an been raised both in relation to the agreement about the meanings of conceptualisation of identity, but also the concept, I argue that eliminating GLORIA MACRI Stories of love and hate | 127 the term ‘identity’ (together with the concept of identity in empirical other contested concepts) from the research. vocabulary of social sciences would ddThe study presented in this article render these sciences quite theoretically constitutes a part of my doctoral poor. Therefore what remains to be research programme that focuses on seen is not ‘if’, but rather ‘how’ can mapping the identity narratives of the social research engage this key term in Romanian diaspora living in Ireland. a creative way. The methodology proposed by this ddFrederik Barth’s (1969) argues that study stems from a constructivist one way of addressing the multiple perspective, and it looks at identity difficulties in defining identity is to as a process that is negotiated in the focus the analysis on the boundaries everyday life and interactions of of an ethnic group, rather than on diasporic people. Following on from the cultural content delimited by the line of research opened by Barth them. Thus the boundary becomes a and Baumann, this research places a powerful identifier in discourses of strong emphasis on the processes of identity. Bauman (1990) develops boundary creation and negotiation in further the Barthian idea of boundaries the identity discourses as it examines and underlines the role of ‘the Other’ the reflections of the Romanian in the construction of who we are. diaspora in Ireland around their Bauman (1990: 40) defines the ‘we’ identity and the identities of ‘relevant (or the ingroup) as the space to which Others’. we belong and where we feel secure. ddWhen choosing to study identity On the opposite, ‘they’ represents the from a relational perspective, the group to which someone cannot or markers (or identifiers) in relation to does not wish to belong. whom identity is being constructed ddThe key advantage of this approach become of key importance (Brubaker is that it enables us to eliminate some of and Cooper, 2000). Thus, the choices the ambiguity surrounding the concept people make from a wide range of of ‘identity’ and clarify its meanings, possible identifiers become particularly thus addressing one of the key gaps relevant. For example, findings in identity studies. By focusing on the emerging from this research point to symbolic borders between groups, we the fact that Romanianness is defined can see how individuals and groups in relation to a multitude of ‘Other’ negotiate their identities in the social diasporic groups (e.g. being Romanian context and in relation to ‘Others’. vs. being Polish or Lithuanians in ddThis relational view on identity also Ireland etc.), ‘Other’ religious groups enables social researchers to actively (e.g. being Orthodox – as are most engage the concept in empirical Romanians - vs. being Catholic – as research. By investigating its contours, are many more of the other European researchers are confident that they can countries), ‘Other’ political entities indirectly discover the ‘content’ of a (being a member of the EU or not), group’s identity. The great merit of but also in relation to being Gypsy, this approach is that it eliminates the being Moldovan (from the Moldovan perpetual obstacles in operationalising republic). Important distinctions have 128 | IRSR Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2011 also been made in relation to being a ddThus, the images of homeland Romanian in Ireland vs. a Romanian are particularly important when we migrant elsewhere, between living in discuss the case of diasporic identity Romania and living abroad. discourses. Their physical separation ddWhile there are many identifiers from the country of origin leads to from which people can choose in their specific forms of attachment and identity discourses, many scholars belonging. Migrant or diasporic have pointed to ‘the State’ as one of the identities are deeply anchored in most powerful identifiers particularly transnational spaces, linking the old in the study of ethnic, migrant or and the new identities, the homeland diasporic groups and their identity and the host country(ies). narratives. Smith (1991: 143) argues ddThis article sets out to evaluate the that the nation is important because it different discourses that Romanian permeates most spheres of activity in migrants in Ireland construct when the life of individuals and communities.
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