Diaspora In Canada Research Articles

Vicarious death: Grief, politics, and identity after the flight PS752 tragedy.

In January 2020, Ukrainian Flight PS752 was shot down shortly after take-off from Tehran's IKA airport, killing all 176 passengers, the majority of whom were headed to Canada via connecting flights. In the aftermath of the tragedy, many among the Iranian diaspora in Canada, ourselves included, were stricken by an unexpectedly deep sense of shock and sorrow, to the point that some experienced what we term as "vicarious death." Drawing on 49 in-depth interviews with the Iranian diaspora in Edmonton, this study explores questions about how being an immigrant, being far from "Home," and being a member of a racialized group might shape and deepen the experience of collective grief and how, conversely, collective grief might influence the meaning of "Home" and bring into question one's ethno-national self-identity. Our results present a multi-dimensional, sociological understanding of grief as a collective, rather than individualistic, experience and highlight the complexity and depth of emotional experiences among immigrants.

“Trying to twist your way out of your skin” — different faces of Chinese Canadian experience in selected poems by Grace Lau

The notions of inclusion, exclusion, and otherness remain at the core of the diasporic experience and an integral part of the history of Chinese diaspora in Canada. In her debut collection The Language We Were Never Taught to Speak (2021), Grace Lau, a Chinese Canadian poet, explores these ideas and their impact on individuals and on the whole Chinese diaspora. Through the analysis of four of Lau’s poems — “When Yuhua Hamasaki Went Home”, “3 a.m. Communion”, “Pedicure at Pinky’s”, and “Escape Artist” — this article discusses how the poet connects experiences of inclusion and exclusion with both historical instances of prejudice and discrimination and their modern counterparts, highlighting the role consumerism plays in those processes.

Functioning of the Chinese Diaspora in Canada: Demographic and Sociocultural Aspects

Functioning of the Chinese Diaspora in Canada: Demographic and Sociocultural Aspects

Letters from Exile: Canadian Media, the Romanian Diaspora, and the Legionary Movement

This article traces the post-Second World War immigration of Romanians to Canada, and addresses themes of self-identification versus outside perception, national identity, and myth-making in the Romanian-Canadian community. It subsequently documents the scrutiny faced by the Romanian diaspora for supposed links to the interwar Romanian far-right Legionary Movement. Beginning in the 1950s, Romanian exiles in Canada forged their own community organizations, churches, and media, in which a unique synthesis of national identity and far-right politics was promoted, placing these new immigrants at the center of intracommunity and inter-ethnic conflict. Following the release of the Deschênes Report on war criminals living in Canada in 1986, as well as a series of unsolved terrorist attacks, Romanian-Canadians were subject to investigations by the mainstream Canadian media for potential involvement in far-right organizing. In the years since the collapse of state socialism in Eastern Europe, significant strands of the Romanian diaspora in Canada have continued to embrace historical figures of the Legionary Movement, synthesizing a diaspora identity flavored by anticommunism, radical right politics, and (ultra-) nationalism well into the post-communist period.

Understanding the Risk of Social Vulnerability for the Chinese Diaspora during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Model Driving Risk Perception and Threat Appraisal of Risk Communication-A Qualitative Study.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrants were among the most socially vulnerable in Western countries. The Chinese diaspora in Canada were one such group due to the widespread cultural stigma surrounding their purported greater susceptibility to transmit and become infected by COVID-19. This paper aims to understand the social vulnerability of the Chinese diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, during the first wave of COVID-19 from an explanation of their risk perception and threat appraisal of risk communication. We conducted secondary data analysis of 36 interviews using critical realism. The participants self-identified as being of Chinese descent. The results were used to develop a model of how social vulnerability occurred. In brief, cognitive dissonance was discovered to generate conflicts of one's cultural identity, shaped by social structures of (i) stigma of contagion, (ii) ethnic stigma, and (iii) public sentiment, and mediated by participants' threat appraisal and (iv) self-reliance. We assert that risk communicators need to consider their audiences' diverse socialization in crafting messages to modify behaviors, create a sense of responsibility, and mitigate public health threats. A lack of awareness of one's cognitive dissonance driven by cultural vulnerability may heighten their social vulnerability and prevent them from taking action to protect themself from high-risk events.

Постать Наталії Кобринської крізь призму робіт української діаспоріянки в Канаді Ірени Книш

Іntroduction. The article is devoted to the study of the works of a bright representative of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada - Irena Knysh, in which she analyzes the life, creative and social progress of the theoretician and the founder of organized feminism in Ukraine, the organizer of the first Ukrainian feminist organization and the first national almanac on the topic of gender equality - Natalia Kobrynska. Methods. An anthropocentric approach is used, which makes it possible to focus on the personality of Kobrynska and her feminist and gender works in both organizational and literary formats. The principles and methods of historical and anthropological research are used (the principle of anthropological interpretation and reduction, based on which the work of Kobrynska is analyzed as a way of self-objectification of the writer) in combination with biographical (analysis of biographical material about Kobrynska), historical and analytical (study of social and political influences on the formation of Natalia Kobrynska's emancipatory ideas and her structuring of the ideology of feminism into an organizational form), figurative and stylistic methods (analysis of the writer's literary work). The results. Analyzing the works of Irena Knysh dedicated to Kobrynska, the author tried to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of Natalia Kobrynska's activity and the constant components of her intellectual worldview, through the prism of which Irena Knysh saw her: in her versatile human essence, in complex inner self-development, in dialogue with herself and her environment. There is no doubt that Kobrynska's artistic works have become a valuable asset of national literature, and her social and public, primarily feminist activity is a unique page in the history of the Ukrainian social-democratic movement. Conclusions. The activities of Nataliya Kobrynska and the research of Irena Knysh become particularly relevant in today's difficult times, when Ukrainian feminism faces new challenges and responds to them. Again, as 140 years ago, Ukrainian feminists have to fight for Ukraine, for their rights in Ukraine and abroad

УКРАЇНСЬКА ДІАСПОРА У СУСПІЛЬНО-ПОЛІТИЧНОМУ ЖИТТІ КАНАДИ В 1970-Х – 1980-Х РОКАХ (ЗА ДОКУМЕНТАМИ КДБ УРСР)

In the struggle to revive Ukrainian statehood, the activities of the large Ukrainian community in Canada played a significant role. This community tried to oppose the Soviet regime, seeking support from Canadian legislative and executive authorities. Therefore, this article aims to highlight, based on materials from the State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine, the efforts of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada in the fight for the restoration of Ukrainian statehood, its interaction with Canadian state institutions, and the counteractions from Soviet special services. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the fact that secret archival documents of the KGB, which scholars have not previously utilized in the context of the proposed issue, are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The methodological basis of the research includes methods of historical archival studies, as well as problem-chronological and analytical methods for working with primary sources. Conclusions. The article analyzes and publishes (in the appendices) archival documents from the State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine, shedding light on the relationships between Ukrainian organizations in Canada and the government through the lens of how these processes were perceived and reacted to by Soviet special services. Several Canadian government officials and parliamentarians (including Prime Ministers D. Diefenbaker (1957–1963) and J. Clark (1979–1980)) actively supported the Ukrainian movement. At the same time, another trend was evident among some Canadian officials, primarily from P. Trudeau’s team (Prime Minister from 1968–1979 and 1980–1984), who sought to avoid conflicts with the USSR and thus attempted to limit the anti-Soviet actions of Ukrainian organizations. Notably, the KGB systematically tried to provoke or deepen these contradictions through provocative actions. Ukrainians in Canada successfully participated in parliamentary elections and were included in the government, as seen in 1979. The struggle between Canadian Ukrainians and the Soviet regime also extended to cultural issues and religious matters. The KGB attempted to persuade representatives of the Ukrainian creative intelligentsia in the diaspora to collaborate. Conversely, conscious Ukrainians in Canada seized every opportunity to advocate on humanitarian grounds, such as the fight for freedom of religion in Ukraine during events marking The Millennium of Rus’-Ukraine.

УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ ВЕКТОР ТВОРЧИХ ПОШУКІВ КАНАДСЬКО- УКРАЇНСЬКОГО МИТЦЯ ВАСИЛЯ КУРИЛИКА

The purpose of the article is to study the Ukrainian context in Vasyl Kurylyk’s artworks through the prism of his socio-historical coordinate system (origin, environment, psychological and mental state, formation of aesthetic artistic foundations, foci of creative formation). Research methods are applied on the basis of an anthropocentric approach, focusing on the personality of Vasyl Kurylyk and his literary (autobiography, explanations of paintings) and painting works. The author used principles and methods of historical-anthropological research in combination with biographical, iconographic, historical-analytical, figurative and stylistic methods. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that the author of the article analyzes the works of Vasyl Kurylyk, which have a clearly expressed Ukrainian vector. As a result of the research, the author concludes a powerful Ukrainian foundation in Vasyl Kurylyk’s consciousness and self-identification which was formed thanks to the stories of his parents, research and the significant influence of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. It was reflected in the artist’s works, which have a Ukrainian vector. The artist’s autobiography gives us a clear signal about the artist’s indifferent attitude towards the country of origin of his ancestors. Interest in Ukrainian history, ethnography, literature, folklore, traditional Ukrainian customs and rites is reflected in a large number of works of Vasyl Kurylyk. While studying these works one might understand how acutely the topic of origin and reasons for parents’ emigration was experienced by the artist. Apparently, Vasyl Kurylyk tried to find answers to questions related to Old Country all his life. After his two visits to Ukraine at the end of his life he partially completed the puzzle of his perception of Ukrainian realities and hidden meanings. In our opinion, the main idea he wanted to express through his works with the Ukrainian vector is the statement that Ukrainians have never lost their identity and regardless of the troubles that happened to them, they always remained a part of the multicultural Canadian community.

Critical Estimation of Rohinton Mistry’s Novel ‘Such a Long Journey’

The present paper emphasizes on the presentation of the predicament of Parsi community in Indian context as reflected in Rohinton Mistry’s novel ‘Such a Long Journey’ (1991). The novel selected for the study provides sufficient background to grasp the socio-political status of marginalized group of Indian society viz. Parsi in post-colonial era. Rohinton Mistry being associated with Indian Diaspora in Canada utilizes his fictional writing to explore the life, struggle, frustration and middle-class aspirations of an average, lower middle-class Parsi family in Bombay in the novel under scrutiny.

Жінки України у боротьбі за формування національного світогляду в умовах еміграції: на прикладі діяльності українських жіночих організацій Канади

Successful development and the formation of a modern legal system in Ukraine should be based on the understanding of the value of human life, the importance of the full and harmonious development of each individual, ensuring human rights, and the necessity of creating conditions for the self-realization of human potential. This is possible only through the provision of gender equality. The study and reconsideration of the idea of gender equality through the example of the activities of Ukrainian women's movements in the conditions of emigration not only analyze the development of this idea in the past but also take into account the achievements of the past in understanding the ways and legal mechanisms for the real provision of gender equality in modern Ukrainian society. The article examines the role and contribution of Ukrainian women in the process of shaping the national worldview among the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. The importance of the contribution of Ukrainian women in the diaspora to the formation of cultural and national identity helps to highlight their role in preserving and developing the Ukrainian heritage beyond the homeland and their influence on the activities of women's movements in Ukraine during the studied period. An integral part of the socio-political life in the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada became the women's movement, which initiated the creation of Ukrainian women's societies. Their task was not only to preserve national self-identification and culture but also the need to assist national institutions in Ukraine. The article also reveals important aspects of women's activities in public life, education, the cultural sphere, and the struggle for the rights of the Ukrainian community in Canada. It explores the instruments, methods, and strategies used by women to support their national identity and contribute to the formation of a Ukrainian national worldview among the immigrant community.

Work of Ukrainian Composers in Concert and Performance Practice of Pianists of the Canadian Diaspora in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

The purpose of the work is to highlight the main milestones of the concert performance activities of pianists of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada in the second half of the twentieth century; to reveal the palette of their repertoire; to outline the role of Ukrainian composers in the performing heritage of emigrant pianists. The research methodology is based on the following scientific approaches: chronological, which allows the author to consider the artistic activity of pianists of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada in a chronological sequence; specific search, which consists in studying the literature on related topics; subject-targeted analysis of the concert and performance atmosphere in the diaspora, which helped to trace the individual performance style of emigrant pianists and the palette of their concert repertoire. The scientific novelty of the research lies in a comprehensive study of the main aspects of the performing creativity of pianists of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada in the second half of the twentieth century, mainly in clarifying the role of the Ukrainian composers in their repertoire; for the first time, the concert and performance achievements of pianists Roman Stetsura and Stefania Zhovnir-Klos, little-known in Ukraine, were analysed. Conclusions. Having analysed the concert activities of Ukrainian pianists of different generations, it can be argued that the creative and performing activities of artists of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada have made a significant contribution to the development of the musical culture of Ukraine, as its representatives have made great efforts to preserve and popularise the national musical art in a multicultural environment. A vivid evidence of this is the inclusion in their performance repertoire of works by composers of different eras: from D. Bortnianskyi and M. Lysenko, to examples of the musical creativity of contemporary masters – B. Filts, E. Stankovych, M. Skoryk, H. Liashenko, O. Krasotov, Zh. Kolodub, L. Dychko, with whom the pianists worked closely. Key words: Ukrainian diaspora of Canada, piano performance, Ukrainian composers, repertoire, concert performances.

Impact of the overseas Chinese diaspora on Canada's economic development

China today is the largest country in terms of population on our planet. The Chinese diaspora also occupies a leading position in the world. According to various sources, in 2021 the total number of the Chinese living abroad was 38.9 million people. There is a large Chinese diaspora in Canada with a rather interesting history. There are now 1.92 million Chinese Canadians living there. The Chinese living in this country have influenced and continue to influence its economy as a fairly active part of the population.

The shadow pandemic and the divine feminine in the diaspora: An analysis of Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth

This article engaged in a literary analysis of Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth, with a specific focus on the shadow pandemic being domestic violence in the Indian diaspora, and on the film’s representation of the divine feminine in Indian culture. By using the lens of Hindu mythology, the feminine divine was given prominence. The film centres on the Indian diaspora in Canada. The Canadian diaspora was similar to the South African diaspora through its depiction of Indian and African people living together and experiencing a shared knowledge with specific reference to traditional medicine. Through Heaven on Earth, Mehta offered an alternative to hegemonic patriarchal religious depictions and a varied perspective on gender by highlighting the essential role of the divine feminine. The term ‘shadow pandemic’ denoted domestic violence as a ‘pandemic’ that has scourged across the world, exacerbated by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an analysis of culture and female divinity, the main female protagonist of the text was able to exit an abusive relationship and enter into her own female power. This feminine agency was an important resource for countless women trapped in abusive relationships.Contribution: The discussion in this article centres on a literary analysis of Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth (2008) with emphasis on domestic violence and the shadow pandemic with specific emphasis on women of colour in the diaspora. The analysis also makes use of a cultural lens to discuss both the snake and androgyny in diasporic Indian culture providing a counter-stance to patriarchy. This research can be utilised by hermeneutists of suspicion and specialists in the field of public theology.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and humanitarian nationalism in Canada

ABSTRACT Canadian society and governments across multiple jurisdictions have embraced an unprecedented “humanitarian nationalism” in relation to Ukraine and particularly to displaced Ukrainians coming to Canada after the Russian invasion. Humanitarian support for Ukrainians in Canada is salient and unprecedented: Ukrainian flags fly on cars, appear in gardens and are attached to churches, but the Canadian state also champions Ukraine and its people in it foreign policy, and on the federal government website for Ukrainians seeking safety in Canada, where flags are also evident. Comparing recent special government programs for Ukrainians, Afghans and Syrians, data overwhelmingly show more Ukrainians are being helped, support matched by widespread support from civil society. The presence and mobilization of a vast and well-organized Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, as well as the relative absence of securitization concerns in relation to Ukrainians, have shaped the very warm welcome they have received.

Intercultural sensitivity at work: oral histories of the first-generation Serbian immigrants to multicultural Canada

ABSTRACT This article aims to problematize the concept of Canadian multiculturalism from its inception in 1971 to its current tendencies and determine whether this policy is still attainable by referring to significant views of Hall, Taylor, Duchastel, Perin, Clifford, Drache, Hoyos and Kymlicka. These theoretical insights are explored in the case of the Serbian diaspora in Canada. The study is based on the oral histories of the members of the first generation of Serbian immigrants to Canada, conducted in July 2008 in Toronto. Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity is used as a theoretical framework. The results show that the first generation of Serbian immigrants shares stronger ties with the mother country than their descendants; however, respect for the values of diversity and hybridity contributes to the process of making inter-generational differences less conspicuous which, regarding the Serbian diasporic community, represents a proof of the topicality of the Canadian multicultural experiment.

Libraries as Information Resources Centers of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada

Libraries as Information Resources Centers of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada

Narrative Themes of Chinese Canadian Intergenerational Trauma: Parental Experiences

ABSTRACT In a series of two papers, the narrative themes of Intergenerational Trauma (IGT) from both the parent and offspring generation in the Chinese diaspora in Canada are examined. This paper focuses on the experiences of parental participants and their perspectives on how trauma transmits to the next generation. Narratives of IGT from three participants were co-constructed using the Collaborative Narrative Method. The narratives were largely situated during pre-migration in China, with most traumatic experiences related to sociopolitical events between the 1950s to 1980s. Themes were developed from the narratives using reflexive thematic analysis. These themes include the following: (a) decimation of social structures; (b) oppression, chaos, and abuse; (c) desperation for survival; (d) personal losses and the denial of education and opportunities; and (e) preservation of values. Themes associated with participant perception of how their traumatic experience transmitted to their offspring, include the following: (a) desire for stability and opportunities; (b) pressure and concern for the future of their offspring; and (c) hope for the future. The study has implications for understanding the linkage between historical events and individual narratives in the Chinese diaspora, as well as the study of IGT among Chinese populations and their narratival understandings.

The Latin American Diaspora in Canada today

The author examines the parameters of the Latin American diaspora in modern Canada. Various aspects are investigated: quantitative and qualitative components, as well as the history of its formation. Difficulties are noted with the unification of terminology used when counting immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Difficulties with the self-identification are also pointed out. Particular attention is paid to the assimilation of Hispanic immigrants from Latin America in the francophone province of Quebec and immigration from Mexico.

Peculiarities of the relationship of the Ukrainian-Canadian «special partnership»

The more than century-long history of Ukrainians in Canada led to the formation of unique Ukrainian-Canadian relations, which were later legally consolidated as a «special partnership» in the Joint Declaration on a Special Partnership between Ukraine and Canada dated March 31, 1994. Both Ukraine and Canada were colonies of two empires. After all, Canada, as a state, arose as a result of the colonization of the territory of North America by two competing European nations: the French and the Anglo-Saxons. In turn, the western part of Ukraine once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the eastern part to the Russian Empire. The colonial past of both states determines their certain historical kinship, which is one of the specific features of the «special partnership» relationship between our countries. However, the formation and development of Ukrainian-Canadian «special partnership» relations took place under the influence of the super-powerful Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, which, being one of the most powerful and organized, not only plays a prominent role in the political life of its country, but also acts as a decisive factor that determines the specificity of Ukrainian - Canadian relations. The Ukrainian community in Canada is one of the most powerful, organized and active. As a result, a prominent role in the political and cultural life of Canada. The Ukrainian community of Canada managed to positively integrate into the country's non-ethnic society, at the same time preserve its identity and act as a reliable partner of Ukraine in the implementation of internal democratic reforms and improvements in foreign policy positions. Having variable instruments of influence on international politics, it used the most effective strategy for achieving its own goals, the essence of which is to influence the policy formation of the host state. The Ukrainian diaspora played a significant role in shaping the image of independent Ukraine in Canada, in popularizing Ukrainian domestic and foreign policy, which contributed to the formation of friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries and found its logical continuation in the form of the establishment of first diplomatic relations, and later «special partnership» relations between Ukraine and Canada.

Light in the contemporary churches of the Ukrainian diaspora

Nowadays, the Ukrainian church building has not yet succeeded in establishing its own modern image/type of church, different from the conventional one. One of the significant reasons for this situation is the long break in the design and construction of churches in Ukraine during the 20th century. The Ukrainian diaspora has accumulated considerable experience in the construction of modern churches, which ensures the continuity of the tradition of the church building. The purpose of the research is to explore the still invaluable experience of designing church buildings and the architectural and artistic organisation of their interior in Ukrainian diaspora churches, which is an important foundation for solving the problem of developing the image/appearance of a modern church. The research used general scientific and special methods. Attention is devoted to the research of current issues of developing a light composition in the sacred space of modern diaspora churches. The research analyses several projects by architects of the Ukrainian diaspora in the field of sacred architecture. The research identifies the specific features of the establishment and development of church architecture in the Ukrainian diaspora in terms of the debate over the conventional and modern forms of church buildings and the spatial organisation of the light composition of their sacred space. The research outlines the influence of the local architectural tradition of the church building in North America – Protestant and Catholic churches – and the modernist design culture of the period of functionalism and neo-modernism in architecture on the architectonics of Ukrainian churches in the diaspora and the organisation of the light environment of their interior space. For the first time, the features and regularities of the organisation of the light environment of the most famous Greek Catholic churches of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada and the United States, built in the second half of the 20th century, are explored. The influence of natural light on the architectonics of churches and the specific features of visual perception of their internal object environment and on the development of the appropriate mood imbued with mysticism and sacred atmosphere of the interiors of churches is determined. The experience of diaspora architects is explored and analysed, which has not been understudied but will be essential for use in the practice of Ukrainian architects in designing modern churches while preserving national identity and church-building traditions