University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 11-12-2004 Colombian Immigrant Children in the United States: Representations of Food and the Process of Creolization María Claudia Duque-Páramo University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Duque-Páramo, María Claudia, "Colombian Immigrant Children in the United States: Representations of Food and the Process of Creolization" (2004). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/1021 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Colombian Immigrant Children in the United States: Representations of Food and the Process of Creolization by María Claudia Duque-Páramo A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Michael V. Angrosino, Ph.D. Mary E. Evans, Ph.D. Mario Hernandez, Ph.D. David A. Himmelgreen, Ph.D. Linda M. Whiteford, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 12, 2004 Keywords: Immigrant children, acculturation, food changes, qualitative research with children, children’s agency, ethical issues with children © Copyright 2004 , María Claudia Duque-Páramo A las niñas y niños inmigrantes que en medio de la alegría por lo novedoso y el dolor de alejarse de seres amados, construyen nuevas identidades y nuevos mundos. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation was possible thanks to many people. First, I want to thank the girls and boys who participated in the research study. At the same time they shared their knowledge, experiences and cherished memories with generosity and cooperative spirit, they engaged with enthusiasm in the research activities. I also thank their parents, particularly their mothers for their trust and cooperation and for providing the conditions for conducting the interviews in privacy. I know is not always easy for a mother to leave her child with a recently met adult. I thank the members of my dissertation committee Mary E. Evans, Mario Hernandez, David Himmelgreen, and Linda M. Whiteford for their invaluable contributions along the process of writing the dissertation. Particularly, David contributed with valuable bibliography and guidance that help me to develop and redirect the research. A very special thank you goes to the Chair of my committee, Michael V. Angrosino, for his inspiration, confidence, and constant guidance and support. What I have learned having him as my professor is the most valuable good from my doctoral studies. Indeed, with his insightful and dedicate work as editor, he greatly contributed to improve this dissertation. I thank specially my friend Angela Gómez for her dedicated and generous work as editor. Angela also gave me support, encouragement and was a delicate company in completing my dissertation. A very special thank you goes to Cecilia Muñoz who generously shared with me her valuable knowledge and experience with research and psychoanalysis involving children, and provided me with her constant support and encouragement. I also thank María Esther Carrillo the director of the Taller Intercultural Hispano Americano, and the board members and staff of the Center for Family Health in Tampa. I thank The Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of South Florida for partially funding my research. I also thank Pamela Swank, Ken McCall, Nancy Romero Daza, Edward J. Ford, and Leah Phillips who at different moments also helped me as editors. Elizabeth Bird gave me her advice and provided me with a valuable bibliography for analyzing visual data; Lori Collins helped with the map of participants locations; and Debbie Roberson was a responsive helper on naming English foods that I could not find in dictionaries. Thank you to all of them. I also thank Carol Bryant and Paul Monaghan who have given me their constant support and confidence. Carol’s advice was key in the process of clarifying some methodological issues. My parents Graciela and Mario have my greatest love and gratitude. Much of what I am comes from them and what I have done is always related to the ir love, support, and company. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES iv LIST OF FIGURES v ABSTRACT vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 6 Migrant Studies in Anthropology 7 Migration as Modernization 9 Migration as Dependency 11 Migration as Articulation. Networks and Transnationalism 11 Acculturation of Immigrant Children and their Families 13 Acculturation and Assimilation 14 Assimilation: The Classical Perspective 14 Challenges to the Classical Perspective 17 Multiculturalism 21 Segmented Assimilation 21 Creolization: A Pattern of Acculturation 23 The Immigrant Culture and the Context of Reception 24 Social Capital and Immigrant Networks 25 Ethnicity and Self-Identity 27 Language Acculturation 31 The Child: Subject and Social Actor 31 The Child in Social Sciences and Anthropology 33 Studies about Children 35 Studies with Children 38 Research with Children 39 The Child: An Informed Participant 41 Methods and Techniques 48 The Researcher 51 Ethical Implications and Ethical Constraints 52 The Legal Context 53 The Informed Consent 54 Risks and Benefits 56 Respect, Autonomy and Privacy 58 Confidentiality 58 i Sociocultural Studies of Food 59 Food Consumption 59 Identity and the Symbolic Dimension of Food 60 Food, Migration and Acculturation 63 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS 69 Research Design 69 Research Questions 70 Philosophical and Methodological Assumptions 70 Definition of Terms 72 Research Settings 74 New Life Good Health 74 Taller Intercultural Hispano Americano 75 Participants and Sources of Information 76 Interviews 78 Group Sessions 80 Data Analysis 82 Validity and Scope of the Generalizations 86 CHAPTER FOUR: PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR NARRATIVES 88 Halley 91 Lizzie McGuire 97 Bryan 103 Asprilla 108 Juanes 115 Valentina 121 Angela 129 Luigi 135 Usher 140 Mark 146 Ron 152 Rocky 157 Elisa 162 Andrea 167 Erika 171 Rebeca 175 Alejandra 180 Carolina 183 Jessica 188 Anastasia 191 CHAPTER FIVE: THE GROUP SESSIONS 195 Group 1 195 Group 2 200 Group 3 210 ii CHAPTER SIX: MAIN TRENDS 221 Interviewees 221 The Group Sessions 228 Summary of Main Trends 229 CHAPTER SEVEN: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 230 Discussion 230 The Immigrant Culture 232 The Context in the US 236 Continuities, Changes and Blending Meanings 238 Ethnic and Self-Identities 243 Social Class 248 Agency 250 Anthropology and Immigration Studies 254 Recommendations 255 Parents 255 Nutritional Education Programs 255 Nutritional Anthropology 257 Immigration Studies 258 GLOSSARY 259 REFERENCES CITED 266 APPENDICES 301 Appendix A: Informed Consent Interview - English 302 Appendix B: Informed Consent Interview - Spanish 305 Appendix C: Informed Consent Group Sessions - English 308 Appendix D: Informed Consent Group Sessions - Spanish 312 Appendix E: Consent for Taking Pictures. Parents Permission - English 316 Appendix F: Consent for Taking Pictures Parents Permission – Spanish 317 Appendix G: Consent for Taking Pictures Participants – English 318 Appendix H: Consent for Taking Pictures Participants – Spanish 319 Appendix I: Interview Questionnaire – English 320 Appendix J: Interview Questionnaire – Spanish 323 Appendix K: List of the Food Card Items 326 Appendix L: Foods Selected by Interviewees 327 Appendix M: Food Related Places in Tampa 338 Appendix N: Map of Participant Locations 341 ABOUT THE AUTHOR End Page iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Studies Conducted with Children 46 Table 2. Recommendations for Using Research Techniques with Children 50 Table 3. Categories and Subcategories 84 Table 4. People Living with the Child 221 Table 5. Age, Gender, and Residence in Colombia 222 Table 6. Acculturation and Ethnic Identity 222 Table 7. Food in the US 223 Table 8. Continuities and Changes of Food 224 Table 9. Recalled Foods in Colombia 225 Table 10. Feelings and Concepts 226 Table 11. Participants’ Agency 227 Table 12. Interactions and Influenc es 227 Table 13. The Group Sessions 228 Table 14. Summary of Main Trends 229 iv LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1. Lizzie explains to Valentina that steak is a meat 98 Fig. 2. Bryan shows “The Candy of Freedom” he made 105 Fig. 3. Asprilla shows his drawing with Colombian foods 109 Fig. 4. Juanes cooking during group 1 116 Fig. 5. Valentina shows the “Cute Little Puppy” she made 122 Fig. 6. Angela playing the customer’s role 130 Fig. 7. Usher shows his drawing about Colombia and Colombian foods 141 Fig. 8. Ron Shows “The Flying Pig” he made 153 Fig. 9. Rocky shows the cake with strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla he made 157 Fig. 10. Series of photos representing group 1 196 Fig. 11. Series of photos representing group 2 201 Fig. 12 Series of photos representing group 3 210 Fig. 13. Fig. 13. Series of photos representing foods selected by Halley 327 Fig. 14. Series of photos representing foods selected by Lizzie 327 Fig. 15. Series of photos representing foods selected by Bryan 328 Fig. 16. Series of photos representing foods selected by Asprilla 328 Fig. 17. Series of photos representing foods selected by Juanes 329 Fig. 18. Series of photos representing foods selected by Valentina 331 Fig. 19. Series of photos representing foods selected by Angela 331 Fig. 20. Series of photos representing foods selected by Luigi 332 Fig. 21. Series of photos representing foods selected by Usher 332 Fig. 22. Series of photos representing foods selected by Ron 333 Fig. 23. Series of photos representing foods selected by Elisa 334 Fig. 24. Series of photos representing foods selected by Andrea 334 Fig. 25. Series of photos representing foods selected by Erika 335 v Fig. 26. Series of photos representing foods selected by Rebeca 336 Fig. 27. Series of photos representing foods selected by Alejandra 336 Fig.