Abstract
Migration can be a very stressful event that post migration involves major changes in family dynamics and intergenerational relationships. With plenty of literature discussing the challenges in these areas, this article focuses on the ways migrants perceive, navigate, and manage changes to their family structure, roles, and relationships. This study in Australia employed a participatory action research framework and qualitative focus groups with 164 migrants from seven ethno-cultural groups and a range of visa pathways. The data were analyzed thematically and revealed two major topics: Changes in Family Structure and Reconstructing Intergenerational Relationships and Roles. While acknowledging the challenges, the results demonstrate migrants’ resilience and ability to manage post-migration changes across generations, genders, and cultures. Notably, the migrants’ lives are characterized not only by a desire for multiculturalism and acculturation but also by the challenges that are related to assimilation and marginalization. This research highlights the important role that migrant and resettlement services can play in supporting families and community-oriented approaches to resettlement support. This may include the implementation of cross-cultural and intergenerational strategies drawn on the strengths of migrant families and their capacity to adapt to new and sometimes hostile environments.
Highlights
Australia is becoming increasingly known for its multicultural population that is characterized by a vast diversity of cultural, ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups
Two major themes emerged from the data that shed light on how these migrants perceived, navigated, and managed Changes in Family Structure as well as how they Reconstructed Intergenerational Relationships and Roles
In tandem with other research on post-migration challenges experienced by families when they migrate to new countries, our research found that changes in family structure and functioning had a significant impact on intergenerational relationships as first generation migrants and subsequent generations acculturate at different rates and extents
Summary
Australia is becoming increasingly known for its multicultural population that is characterized by a vast diversity of cultural, ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups. In addition to its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups (3% of the population), over 27% of Australians were born overseas and another 20% have at least one parent born overseas (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014). Australia has committed to the resettlement of over 12,000 new refugees in addition to the current 13,500 new refugees who are arriving annually (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014). Australia has a broad range of visa schemes and a rapidly increasing overall intake of migrants. Provides a rich case study of a migrant-receiving country that is undergoing a rapid transformation within the context of this dynamic environment
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