ACCULTURATION EXPERIENCES OF JAPANESE STUDENTS IN AMERICAN-BASED DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS BY KEEGAN BOSCH ADVISOR: DR. LAURA O’HARA BALL STATE UNIVERSITY MUNCIE, INDIANA DECEMBER, 2018 Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Laura O’Hara. Her guidance throughout this process has not only been pivotal to the completion of this project, but has helped me grow exponentially as a scholar, writer, and person. Her keen sense of how much pressure is just enough to get a student to succeed is inspiring, and a trait I hope to embody in my own pedagogy in the future. I have been inspired and constantly impressed by her work ethic, quality of feedback, and dedication to this project, and truly could not have done it without her support. I cannot fully express my gratitude to Dr. Glen Stamp in a way that reflects what he is deserving of. Dr. Stamp’s willingness to constantly support my academic endeavors as a department chair, professor, and committee member has been above and beyond what I could have ever expected or asked for. He has helped me to take courses outside of my department that have prompted significant personal growth, encouraged academic growth within his classroom, and even served as a source of emotional support through the rigors of graduate studies. I can say with absolute certainty that I would not have graduated without his support, and I am eternally grateful. I am also honored to have Dr. Marcy Meyer serve on the committee for this work. Dr. Meyer’s research has always been a source of inspiration for my own studies, breaking the boundaries of academic tradition and creating spaces for creative work to shine in academia. Her genuine kindness and surgical commentary has been an undeniable asset to the completion of this project, and I feel lucky to have learned from her throughout this process. A final academic acknowledgement is necessary to recognize Dr. Kristen McCauliff. During my graduate studies, I was lucky (spoiled, really) to take a course with Dr. McCauliff every semester. During those two years, Dr. McCauliff inspired me to expand my mind as an academic and a human being, improved my writing immeasurably, and even helped me to get my first publication. Her intelligence and sincerity are unmatched, and her open-mindedness should serve as a model for all academics. I am so grateful to her for helping make the difficult process of graduate school manageable and often even enjoyable. A special thanks also goes out to the participants of this study. From those who responded to the demographic survey only to those who participated in interviews, the willingness of the Japanese community within DCI to work with me was humbling and made this project a reality in the most concrete sense. Moreover, although my original plan to include observation did not work out, I have to thank the directors of DCI’s World Class Corps, who were overwhelmingly willing to take me on as a guest during the summer to complete my research. This project and my academic career would not be possible without the support of my family. My parents, Sandy and David Bosch, have always been willing to support me in whatever I choose to undertake, and their concrete help as proofreaders is always appreciated. Thank you for believing in me when I wanted to give up on myself. My sister, Kelsey Bosch, who is always willing to talk shop when teaching seems impossibly challenging. And, of course, my partner, Sarah Smith, whose constant moral support and reminders that I will get through this were exactly the reason I was able to get through this. Finally, of course, thanks to my service animal, Willow, for keeping me alive and kicking through grad school. Finally, Dr. Daniel Richardson. Dr. Dan was willing to be interviewed for this work so that I could complete a thorough history of the activity he dedicated his life to. This past year, Dr. Dan passed away, leaving a huge hole in the world, but his influence on myself and countless other students is felt always. Thank you for your part in making this project a reality. Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview .....................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 1.2 Overview ...................................................................................................................2 Chapter 2. Review of Literature...............................................................................4 2.1. Overview ..................................................................................................................4 2.2 Drum Corps International..........................................................................................4 2.3 Acculturation .............................................................................................................7 2.4 Acculturation Research in Communication Studies................................................16 2.5 Acculturation Among Students ...............................................................................19 2.6 Justification for This Study .....................................................................................21 2.7 Research Questions .................................................................................................22 Chapter 3. Methods. ...............................................................................................23 3.1 Recruitment .............................................................................................................23 3.2 Participants. .............................................................................................................24 3.3 Interviews ................................................................................................................24 3.4 Data Analysis ..........................................................................................................25 3.4.1 Stage One. ........................................................................................................25 3.4.2 Stage Two. .......................................................................................................26 3.4.3 Stage Three. .....................................................................................................26 Chapter 4. Results ..................................................................................................27 4.1 RQ1 .........................................................................................................................27 4.1.1 Familiarity With Others. ..................................................................................27 4.1.2 Acculturation. ..................................................................................................30 4.1.3 Recognition. .....................................................................................................34 4.1.4 Involvement. ....................................................................................................36 4.1.5 Job Competency. .............................................................................................37 4.1.6 Adaptation and Role Negotiation. ...................................................................39 4.2 RQ2 .........................................................................................................................41 4.2.1 Linguistic Influences on Acculturative Stress .................................................41 4.2.2 Social Support and Acculturative Stress .........................................................42 Chapter 5. Discussion ............................................................................................45 5.1 Summary of Findings ..............................................................................................45 5.1.1 Familiarity with Others. ...................................................................................45 5.1.2 Acculturation. ..................................................................................................46 5.1.3 Recognition ......................................................................................................46 5.1.4 Job Competency. .............................................................................................47 5.1.5 Adaptation/Role Negotiation. ..........................................................................47 5.2 Implications .............................................................................................................49 5.2.1 Language. ........................................................................................................50 5.2.2 Culture Learning. .............................................................................................53 5.3 Strengths ..................................................................................................................55 5.4 Limitations ..............................................................................................................56 5.5 Future Directions .....................................................................................................58 References 60 Endnotes 75 Appendices 76 Abstract THESIS: Acculturation Experiences of Japanese Students in American-Based Drum and Bugle Corps STUDENT: Keegan Bosch