Immigrant Experience Research Articles

Transition, Adjustment, and Healthcare Avoidance: African Immigrant Women's Experiences and Perceptions of Navigating Primary Healthcare in the USA.

This study explores the transition and adjustment of African immigrant women, particularly Ethiopian immigrant women (EIW), as they navigate the U.S. healthcare system and their ability to access and utilize healthcare services. A qualitative cross-sectional design with a mix of purposive and snowball sampling techniques was utilized to recruit EIW (N = 21, ≥18 years) who arrived in the U.S. within the last five years. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using Nvivo12 software. The thematic analysis revealed three major themes: (1) settling into new life in the U.S. delays EIWs' ability to access primary healthcare; (2) adjusting to the U.S. healthcare system: confusions and mixed perceptions; and (3) avoidance of care: EIW's reasons for PHC visits changed in the U.S. Participants avoided healthcare, except for life-threatening conditions, general check-ups, and maternal healthcare services. Transitional support for legal, residential, employment, and health information could help tackle the challenges of accessing primary healthcare for EIW. Future research should analyze access to healthcare in relation to the everyday struggles of immigrant women, as well as legal and complex structural issues beyond acculturative issues.

‘Migration Under the Glow of Privilege’—Unpacking Privilege and Its Effect on the Migration Experience

Economic migration is a significant and growing development around the world but has produced unequal outcomes and experiences for marginalized groups. To theoretically explain such inequalities, we argue that integration experiences of immigrants in the host country differ based on the privilege that their demographic category bestows on them (or not). We elucidate our arguments by unpacking the concept of ‘privilege’ to theorize two key sources of privilege—locational and historical—and explain them using the global economic divide (Global North vs. Global South) and local social divides (race and caste). We propose that locational and historical privilege manifest as various types of capital that immigrants carry into their host countries. We juxtapose these two sources of privilege and its levels (low vs. high) to develop a typology of immigrants—Marginalized, Peripheral, Assimilated, and Wanted—that captures differences in migrants’ integration experiences. By shining a light on the systematic differences between immigrants based on privilege, our research brings additional nuance to the scholarship on immigrant workers and inclusive organizations; and broadens avenues to make human resource practices more ethical by taking these differences into account.

Language maintenance, emotional investments, family values and imagined futures

ABSTRACT This research investigates how Jewish-Israeli immigrant parents’ approach to Hebrew maintenance relates to their emotional investments and connection to their homeland. It integrates a values-based perspective with Tannenbaum's Coping and Defence Mechanism framework, which centres the emotional aspect of family’s language maintenance decisions. The connection between language maintenance efforts and emotions is an understudied phenomenon that is increasingly relevant to the lived experience of immigrants. Whilst some authors have mentioned Tannenbaum’s framework in reference to the emotional aspect of language maintenance, it has yet to be applied on a theoretical or practical level to determine its pertinence to particular immigrant populations. Furthermore, New Zealand’s Israeli immigrant population remains an understudied minority group for whom emotionality is likely to impact language maintenance efforts. Thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews revealed participants’ language maintenance efforts were inconsistently aligned with their connection to their homeland, however, could be described as coping or defence mechanisms in other ways. In particular, participants showed an investment in pursuing ‘imagined futures’ they wanted for their children through their language choices. A suggestion for the inclusion of this alongside a values-based perspective within Tannenbaum's framework is provided with the intention of broadening the framework’s applicability.

Articulating the Collective Immigrant Experience in Canada: The Boat People and Shut Up, You’re Pretty

ABSTRACT Exploring the ideology behind merit-based immigration policy in Canada, the paper discusses the collective immigrant experience in the works of two contemporary Canadian female authors, Shut up You’re Pretty (2019) by Congo-born Tea Mutonji, and the novel inspired by the refugee crises since the 1970s, The Boat People (2018) by Sharon Bala. The introductory part problematizes the historically discriminatory immigration policies, and explores the position of the immigrant in contemporaneity, in the process of integration through performatives shaped by the counternarratives of multiculturalism. The analysis of the specific characters’ narratives in these works explores the connection between the personal, subjective, and the collective within the groups of immigrants, refugees and born Canadians to whom Canadianness features as an unattainable goal located behind the glass ceiling. In the concluding remarks, the paper summarizes how these contemporary female authors expose the hypocritical, pragmatic and shifting nature of the multicultural narrative.

Immigrant Older Adults' Experiences of Aging in Place and Their Neighborhoods: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

Engaging in one's neighborhood fosters independence, promotes social connectedness, improves quality of life, and increases life expectancy in older adults. There is a lack of evidence synthesis on immigrant older adults' neighborhood perceptions and experiences, essential for addressing neighborhood-level influences on aging in place. This study systematically synthesizes qualitative evidence on immigrant older adults' perceptions and experiences of their neighborhoods. A comprehensive search was conducted from inception to 5 April 2023, in multiple databases. This review considered studies including immigrant older adults aged ≥60 years, included studies from any country where the neighborhood was the focus, and only considered qualitative data while excluding review studies, theoretical publications, and protocols. Eligible studies were appraised using the JBI critical appraisal checklist for qualitative research. The Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregation approach was used to synthesize findings, and the ConQual approach established confidence in the synthesis. A total of 30 studies were included. Most studies were conducted in North America and explored phenomena such as aging in place, social capital, social cohesion, sense of community, and life satisfaction. Key contextual factors were walkable safe access to social spaces, accessible transportation to amenities, social cohesion with neighbors, and pre-migration neighborhood experiences. Immigrant older adults have varied experiences related to their sense of belonging and social cohesion. Factors such as racial discrimination, feeling unsafe, and social isolation contributed to negative perceptions. This review highlights the need for inclusive neighborhoods that align with the needs and values of immigrant older adults aging in place.

Finding ‘Home’ and Navigating ‘Cultural Precarity’: Grey Areas Between Racism and ‘Hate Crime’ Victimization Among Korean Businesses

The United States has often been lauded for its reputation as a melting pot, embracing diverse cultures and backgrounds. However, beneath this outward display of diversity lies a more intricate reality illuminated by the experiences of immigrants. This study, which involved 19 interviews with first‐generation Korean immigrants operating small businesses in the United States, examines the diverse forms of discrimination and hate crime encountered by participants from various demographic backgrounds and immigration histories. These diverse perspectives, influenced by factors such as duration in the United States, gender, and age, contribute to a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by immigrants before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study also explores participants' experiences attributing the sources of challenges to neighborhood safety, grappling with issues related to racial background and language barriers, and contending with cultural precarity. The narratives vividly depict the multifaceted challenges within the business setting and daily lives of Korean immigrants. Significantly, these occurrences transcend differences in residency duration, age, gender, and personal experiences, emphasizing the need for nuanced and inclusive approaches to address discrimination effectively. Recognizing the shared impact of discriminatory practices across diverse individuals fosters a collective understanding, informing targeted interventions for a more inclusive and equitable society for Asian immigrants. Based on firsthand accounts and perceptions, the study discerns policy implications to comprehensively address these challenges among Korean/Asian immigrants in the United States.

African Immigrant Women's Experiences of Maternity Care in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to explore maternity care experiences of African immigrant women during the perinatal period including factors affecting access to and use of care. We used Sandelowski's (2010) qualitative descriptive approach to examine how African immigrant women from various countries of origin and with diverse ethnic backgrounds experienced and navigated the maternity care system in the United States during pregnancy and childbirth. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 African immigrant women living in the Columbus, Ohio area. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling between February 2021 and May 2021. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Four major themes defined the experiences of our study participants: access to information, patient-clinician relationships, experiences of discrimination, and costs of maternity care. Findings highlight key barriers to providing quality and acceptable maternity care to African immigrant women at multiple levels. This group's unique barriers underlie the importance of incorporating their diverse experiences into maternity care models and clinical practice. Further research is needed to evaluate and improve maternity care for African immigrant women.

A construct validation of the perceived Negative Context of Reception Scale with Indian American youth.

Crucial to the resettlement experiences of immigrants is the degree to which the receiving country accepts them and affords them social support and opportunities. Through the factor structure and incremental validity of scores generated by the Negative Context of Reception (NCR) Scale, in the present study, we examine Indian American youths' perception of their context of reception using a sample of youth residing in the United States. Data came from a sample of 223 Indian American youth (aged 12-17) as part of a larger convergent mixed-methods project. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we examined the scale's validity and the relationship between perceived NCR and criterion-related factors such as perceived discrimination and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was then used to analyze qualitative data from 11 of these Indian American youth. Qualitative data provided additional insights about NCR in this population. NCR scores evidenced strong psychometric properties among Indian American youth. Confirmatory factor models demonstrated good model fit. NCR yielded significant associations with perceived discrimination (r = .33, p < .001) and depressive symptoms (r = .25, p < .002). Two major themes (parental/family sacrifices and being treated differently from White peers) emerged from the qualitative data. Results validate NCR as a construct relevant to Indian American youth and associated with negative mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, these results underscore the importance of a welcoming and supportive environment for Indian American youths' well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing PrEP and Other Sexual Health Services Among Immigrant Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men in Los Angeles County

In the United States, immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (ILMSM) are, compared to white MSM, disproportionately burdened by HIV and lack access to highly effective HIV prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Qualitative research centered on exploring barriers that ILMSM experience in accessing PrEP and other sexual services is extremely limited, despite a high prevalence of HIV in this population. In this study, a purposive sample of ILMSM (n = 25) was recruited to participate in a semi-structured in-depth interview to identify the distinct barriers and facilitators ILMSM experience in accessing sexual health services given their complex intersectional identities of being an immigrant, Latino, and a sexual minority man. Using a thematic analysis approach, nine themes were generated from the data representing barriers and facilitators. Barriers included: (1) cost and a lack of health insurance, (2) complexity of PrEP assistance programs; (3) challenges related to the immigrant experience; (4) impact of gay stigma; and (5) communication challenges. Facilitators included: (1) improving affordability and accessibility of PrEP services; (2) receiving services from LGBT- or Latine LGBT-centered clinics; (3) receiving services from medical providers who are gay and/or Latino; and (4) providing targeted community outreach, education, and promotion of PrEP to ILMSM. While many of the barriers illuminated in the study were structural (e.g., cost and lack of health insurance), and not easy to overcome, the findings highlight a range of facilitators that can support access to PrEP and other sexual health services for ILMSM. Considering these findings, we suggest strategies that may enhance access to needed sexual health services among ILMSM.

Human Migration is widely Viewed as Dramatic Consequence of Climate Change: A Case Study of Amitabh Ghosh’s Gun Island

Migration is not a new phenomenon in human history. Human migration occurs through ages due to socio-economic and political issues. People travel or migrate from one country to another for a better life and livelihood. The immigrants have to undergo a myriad experiences and face manifold issues socially, politically and psychologically. Amitabh Ghosh’s novel Gun Island deals with the contemporary environmental issues, border crossings, and human migration along with the story of investigation of folk myths of Bonduki Sadagar (Gun Merchant). Ghosh also focuses on large scale human migration in search of livelihood. This paper highlights the drawbacks or the negative impacts of wrong usage of technology through which people get enticed with the fascination of foreign countries in the contemporary world of globalisation. Amitabh Ghosh in his novel attempts to focus on the experience of immigrants and human values of migrants due to environmental and technological development.

Embodied Relationality and Alterity in Verena Stefan’s Fremdschläfer

This article explores Verena Stefan’s images of non-oppositional relationality, relations between the self and other beings in the world, and Leib, the living body in her 2007 novel Fremdschläfer which is presented as an assemblage of sections with little temporal and spatial continuity. I examine relationality with reference to a nexus of ontological questions pertaining to non-oppositional models of relational selfhood, alterity and immanence and the relation between empirical experience and the conditions of experience. My analysis of the multilayered imagery in Fremdschläfer focuses on how these poetic images engender self-world relationality, being together with others, heteronomy and intersubjectivity, while also foregrounding the experience of immigration, multilingualism and living with a poor medical prognosis. I argue that Stefan figures the Leib (living body) as a sensible transcendental. It is the touch of and embodied listening by other material embodied selves that give shape to the self’s changing boundaries.

Understanding Signs and Sources of Anxiety in Urban Elementary Schools Serving Predominately Ethnically/Racially Minoritized Children

ABSTRACT Objective This mixed-methods study examined teachers’ perceptions of student anxiety in urban elementary schools serving predominantly low-income and ethnically/racially minoritized youth. Method Most participating teachers were female (87.7%) and from minoritized backgrounds themselves (89.2%), teaching in schools serving predominantly Black/African American (40%) or Hispanic (60%) students, and in which > 70% of students are eligible for free meals. Teachers were asked in surveys (N = 82) and interviews (n = 12) about the nature of student anxiety, and cultural/contextual considerations that influence anxiety. Results Overall, teachers reported prevalence and signs of student anxiety that were consistent with the literature, but they reported higher levels of impairment than in previous community samples. Regressions revealed that greater levels of student exposure to community violence and higher proportions of Black students were associated with higher teacher-perceived prevalence and concern about student anxiety, respectively. Moreover, greater emotional exhaustion in teachers was associated with higher reports of anxiety-related impairment in students. Thematic coding of interviews emphasized how teachers perceived 1) most student anxieties to be proportional responses to realistic threats and stress in students’ lives (e.g. resource insecurity), 2) systems-level problems (e.g. pressure to perform on standardized tests) contribute to student anxiety, and 3) school-based anxiety sources often interact with traumas and stressors students experience outside of school (e.g. immigration experiences). Conclusions Relative to the predominant literature that has focused on biological, cognitive, and other intraindividual factors as sources of anxiety, the present work underscores the importance of considering how broader economic and systems-level influences exacerbate anxiety in marginalized youth.

Afghan immigrants' perceptions of integration policies in Iran

AbstractIn the contemporary global context, the challenge of integrating immigrants into host societies has gained prominence. This paper delves into the perceptions and experiences of Afghan immigrants in Iran regarding immigration policies and laws. Employing a constructivist grounded theory methodology, the study aims to uncover participants' interpretations and the meanings attributed to immigration policies and laws. Grounded theory analysis, involving initial, focused, and theoretical coding, was employed to collect data. The results reveal that current immigration laws and policies in Iran have led to economic disparities, limited educational opportunities, social isolation, and identity challenges for Afghan immigrants. Iran's integration policies lean towards exclusion. Consequently, Afghan immigrants experience a weakened sense of belonging in the country. Therefore, our study suggests the importance of implementing integration theories and policies instead of those promoting disintegration. Such policies not only hinder immigrants' assimilation but also impede the overall progress of the host nation, thus undermining social cohesion.

Partnering With Immigrant Patients and Families to Move Beyond Cultural Competence: A Role for Clinicians and Health Care Organizations

The delivery of culturally competent health care is recognized as critical to providing quality, equitable care for marginalized groups. This includes immigrant patients and families who experience significant barriers to health care and poor health outcomes. However, operationalization of cultural competence challenges health care delivery. Complementary concepts have also emerged such as cultural humility, cultural safety, and structural competence, recognizing the need for multi-level approaches involving patients, families, clinicians, health care organizations, the larger community, and policymakers. In this review, we define cultural competency and related frameworks and their applicability to immigrant patients and families. The evolution in terminology reflects an increasingly more comprehensive approach to understanding culture as multidimensional and shaped by social and structural factors. We then highlight strategies at each level, focusing on clinicians and organizations to leverage loci of control most directly within clinicians’ reach. Community-level strategies include community engagement (ie, vis-à-vis community health workers or community advisory boards) for clinical and research practice. Organization-level strategies include “immigrant-friendly,” or “immigration-informed” policies aimed at reducing immigration-related stressors, like limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement agencies or developing medical-legal partnerships to assist with patients’ legal needs. Lastly, policy-level strategies seek to change local and federal policies to address needs beyond health care (eg, education, housing, other social services), taking a “Health in All” policies approach that articulates health considerations into policymaking across sectors. Finally, we conclude with suggestions for future directions that center the experiences of immigrants, with the ultimate goal of sustainably meeting the complex needs of immigrant patients and families.

Incorporating immigrant optimism into critical consciousness and civic development models: An integrative review and synthesis of civic action among immigrant youth of color in the United States.

Civic action describes participation in political and prosocial activities aimed at benefiting one's communities. A growing literature rooted in critical consciousness (CC) theory suggests that engaging in critical action, which challenges societal inequities, is important for the positive development of youth of color. Although valuable, existing literatures have yet to consider how psychological processes related to the immigrant experience, such as immigrant optimism (IO), may differentially influence the civic participation of immigrant youth of color. IO is a phenomenon in which immigrant groups hold higher aspirations and more positive views of the host society than their nonimmigrant peers, and this often is associated with positive outcomes. This article reviews and integrates relevant research on the civic development of immigrant youth of color, considering both how IO may be a particularly relevant process in shaping immigrant youths' CC development and how civic action may take different forms among these youth. We define concepts, integrate previously siloed literatures, and make recommendations for future research. We propose expanding existing frameworks to consider IO and forms of action, along with their intended outcome. Incorporating IO into studies of CC or civic development can clarify important differences and enhance our understanding of how best to support immigrant youth. Similarly, examining forms of action and their intended outcome may be advantageous in facilitating young immigrants' development as active and engaged members of society. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Residence Permit Appeals at the Administrative Courts of Finland: Acquiescence Bias by Legalised Judicial Injustices in Finland

Arctic law and politics are heavily focused on citizens and their welfare. In recent times, migration has led to an increase in immigrants to the Arctic region, expanding discussions on diversity, equality, and inclusion. This article analyses immigrant experiences of the wheels of justice when appealing extended-residence decisions in Finland. There has been research on residence applications but there is no previous research on appealing residence decisions in Finland. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), the article analyses four Africans’ experiences of (in)justice during residence permit decision appeals lodged through the administrative courts in Finland 2011–2020. The article uses the Renault concept to argue and underscore the experiences of injustice and to underscore the gathered, analysed emerging themes and the patterns observed in the handling of the residence permit appeal cases from a legal and political perspective. The information was gathered through in-depth interviews using open-ended, structured questions, and the analysis of personal text and information was collated using MAXQDA software. The article highlights the incidences of human rights violations, injustice, mental health and well-being issues, inadequate information and distrust of the administrative justice system, and the risk that this poses to Arctic law and politics as right-wing politics are on the rise.

‘We are here our hearts are there’: Rurality, belonging and walking together

AbstractThe notion of the rural idyll is well recognised within scholarship. Allied to this imaginary is that rural areas comprise white and homogenous space, with socially conservative values that are exclusionary. In recent decades, studies have identified the arrival of migrants into so‐called New Immigration Destinations, rural spaces with little contemporary experience of immigration, often bringing with them a sense of cosmopolitanism. That research challenges discourses of a fully exclusive rural space, identifying acts of welcoming and hospitality. These acts are often performed in everyday spaces to help create a sense of belonging for new arrivals. Migrants’ sense of belonging to a place is often taken as an indicator of their integration into society. Research has shown that belonging is more than a term used to describe an attachment to place, it also relates to the politics (of belonging) and to notions of identity. We use the specificity of place to examine the intersection of belonging, rurality and ethnicity. Drawing on participatory walks with diverse migrants along Hadrian's Wall in the North of England (celebrating 1900‐year anniversary), we explore the significance of walking as a tool to engage with forced refugees. We do so through the dual perspectives of an art practitioner and a sociologist. The project included collective walks, creative artist lead learning workshops, which lead to a performative protest walk, and a public‐facing art exhibition. The act of walking together blurs boundaries arising from individual status or position, creating a bond from doing a shared activity enabling conversation and friendships to emerge. Through collective walking, we explore the barriers refugees and those in the asylum‐seeking system face in the rural space; and we show how belonging is emotional and relational. Emotional connections can become powerful tools for survival, especially in a cruel immigration system that dehumanises and fails to recognise individuals for who they really are. This is demonstrated in the title of this article ‘We are here our hearts are there’, which comes from one of our participants who deployed the phrase during the artistic performative protest along the Wall.

INVESTIGATING THE EVOLUTION OF CHINESE AMERICAN LITERATURE THROUGH THE LENS OF CHINESE AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS

This article explores the evolution of Chinese American literature in tandem with the historical experiences of Chinese immigrants in the US. Through an analysis of key events such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Angel Island Immigration Station, as well as the contributions of notable authors like Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston, this article highlights the resilience and cultural richness inherent in Chinese American literature.

The impact of transnationally mobile migrants on immigrants’ educational perception and practice: the case of Koreans and Korean Americans

ABSTRACT New waves of Asian migration to the US are comprised of not only new first-generation immigrants but also transnationally mobile migrants – temporary migrants that move between the home and host countries, spending significant pre-planned periods of time in the host country for specific purposes such as education and employment. Focusing on Korean and Korean American perception and usage of private supplementary education, I examine how the contemporary homeland norms and practices transnationally mobile Koreans transmit impact immigrant Koreans’ education. Drawing on 51 in-depth interviews with Korean American and transnationally mobile Korean students and parents, I find that transnationally mobile Koreans have become a significant reference group for Korean Americans in assessing their education. While education of Asian Americans is often measured against that of white Americans, or native-born Americans as a whole, transnationally mobile migrants from Asian Americans’ ethnic homelands provide a different reference group for Asian American education. In response to the educational norms and practices transnational Koreans transmit, Korean Americans reevaluate their education and formulate educational strategies accordingly. These findings consider how transnational replenishment impacts immigrant experiences in the host society and illuminates the significance of accounting for interactions among different transnational migrants in transnational social spaces.

Multilingualism and socioeconomic mobility: Analyzing the correlation in immigrant populations

This research investigates the relationship between multilingual abilities and socioeconomic mobility among immigrant populations. It evaluates how linguistic competencies influence employment opportunities, educational attainment, and social integration. The study aims to provide insights into how policymakers and educators can leverage multilingual education for economic and social inclusion. The phenomenon of multilingualism among immigrant populations has garnered significant scholarly attention due to its potential implications for socioeconomic mobility. This Review comprehensively analyzes the correlation between multilingualism and socioeconomic advancement among immigrant communities. Drawing upon various academic literature, this study aims to elucidate the nuanced relationship between language proficiency, cultural adaptation, and economic integration. The Review begins by contextualizing the importance of multilingualism in contemporary society, particularly in the context of globalization and increased migration flows. Multilingualism, defined as the ability to speak multiple languages proficiently, is posited as an asset for immigrants seeking to navigate new social and economic landscapes. Through a review of existing research, this Review examines how multilingualism influences socioeconomic mobility. Firstly, multilingual individuals often possess enhanced communication skills, enabling them to access a broader range of employment opportunities and interact effectively in diverse workplace environments. Furthermore, proficiency in multiple languages facilitates social integration and cultural adaptation, factors that are closely associated with socioeconomic success. Immigrants who can navigate linguistic and cultural barriers may experience greater social mobility and upward economic trajectories. Moreover, the Review explores the role of language in educational attainment and intergenerational mobility. Studies suggest that bilingualism and multilingualism can positively affect academic performance and cognitive development, potentially leading to improved educational outcomes for immigrant children. Additionally, language proficiency may facilitate intergenerational transmission of cultural capital and social networks, which are critical determinants of socioeconomic mobility. However, the relationship between multilingualism and socioeconomic mobility is complex and multifaceted. Factors such as language proficiency levels, language policy, and discrimination can significantly impact immigrant trajectories. Moreover, the intersectionality of language with other social identities, such as race, ethnicity, and class, necessitates a nuanced understanding of how language shapes opportunities and barriers for immigrant populations. In conclusion, this Review highlights the intricate interplay between multilingualism and socioeconomic mobility among immigrant communities. By examining the multifaceted dimensions of language proficiency, cultural adaptation, and economic integration, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors shaping immigrant experiences and pathways to success in diverse sociocultural contexts.