Socio-cultural Integration Research Articles

3.2-O3Higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology in ethnic minority groups in the Netherlands is independent of generation status and socio-cultural integration

3.2-O3Higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology in ethnic minority groups in the Netherlands is independent of generation status and socio-cultural integration

The Practices, Perceptions, and Beliefs of Traditional Birth Attendants Regarding Early Breastfeeding Initiation in Zimbabwe: A Qualitative Study

Background & aim: Early breastfeeding initiation (EBFI) defined as giving breast milk within the first hours following birth, which is recommended as a simple strategy for the enhancement of neonatal health and survival. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore the practices, perceptions and beliefs of renowned traditional birth attendants (TBA) regarding EBFI in Chipinge rural community, Zimbabwe. Methods: The study population was selected through purposive sampling technique. One-on-one interview was conducted for the purpose of unearthing sensitive issues regarding EBFI. The data were collected using an unstructured in-depth interview to explore the practices, perceptions, and beliefs regarding EBFI. Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis. To this end, the data were presented in thematic categories using the deductive approach and coded into subthemes, which were then merged into themes. The trustworthiness of the study was enhanced through credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability. Results: The emerged themes included EBFI preparation, EBFI and significance of colostrum, and determinants of EBFI. The findings revealed that EBFI was not only related to physical and emotional interactions, but also associated with a totality of the person, involving sociocultural ties. The EBFI is viewed as a predictor of maternal sociocultural integrity and the legitimacy of the newborn. In the context under study, failure to breastfeed or to initiate breastfeeding early is thought to be a result of the mother’s past immorality. Breastfeeding in Chipinge community goes beyond the mother-baby interaction. Conclusion: It encompasses the whole person, that is the physical, social, cultural and spiritual ties. Under this condition, the mother should testify and undergo a ritual cleansing to rectify the problem.

Migrant integration and freedom of religion: modern problems

The article explores theoretical and practical problems of socio-cultural integration of the Muslim migrants in the Western European countries. The study is focused on the reflection regarding the challenges that the European legal system is facing in new religious realities brought by migrant communities in the post-Christian cultural context.Based on the analysis of the data of sociological studies conducted in Europe, a number of factors determining the attitudes of the population of the receiving countries towards migrants are singled out. The author pays a special attention to social and legal aspects of migration processes. The reflection of the migration in the practice of the European Court of Human Rights marks certain changes in acceptable limits of restrictions on the right to freedom of thought, belief and religion.The study refutes criticism on the position of the European Court of Human Rights considered as discriminatory and assimilatory. The author proves that the religious right can be restricted to help ensure socio-cultural integration of the Muslim migrants.

“I Believe People Need to Know Us in Order to Integrate Us”: Immigrant Women’s Cultural Attitudes and Needs

The integration of immigrant women is crucial for achieving coexistence and social cohesion in diverse societies. In particular, the analysis of the role of migrant women has a recent but strong tradition within sociology literature. From a gender perspective, this paper analyzes how immigrant women conceive of themselves in a process of sociocultural integration. Methodologically, this is a qualitative investigation based on in-depth semi-structured interviews of 60 immigrant women. The interviews were conducted in Galicia (Spain) and include diverse nationalities from Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Following an intersectional approach, the analysis of their responses showed that the value they placed on themselves, their cultures, and/or their languages of origin in a receiving society varied depending on the co-articulation of variables such as class, race, and formal level of education. For example, being the level of education the categorizing variable, participants from the higher-educated (HE) group stressed the importance of bringing attention to their cultural particularities in order to favor immigrants’ integration, whereas those from the lower-educated (LE) group did not see any relationship between the preservation of their cultural background and the process of integration.

Multiculturalist policies in an age of immigration: Do multiculturalist policies influence negative immigrant attitudes toward homosexuality?

In this article, we provide an empirical analysis of the relationship between multiculturalist policies and immigrant attitudes toward homosexuality. Normative discourses implicate multiculturalism as a key obstacle to the sociocultural integration between immigrants and natives within affluent democracies. At the core of this controversial debate are differences over the extent to which multiculturalism impedes or promotes the adoption of sexual norms from host societies to immigrants. However, a dearth of empirical studies has allowed political actors to levy broad, but largely speculative, claims that multiculturalist policies aggravate cultural conflicts between incoming immigrants and the values of host societies. We begin to address this issue by examining whether immigrants’ attitudes toward homosexuality vary in any direction across multicultural contexts. We find no evidence that multicultural policies exacerbate negative attitudes toward homosexuality, or facilitate the greater acceptance of sociocultural norms surrounding homosexuality for immigrants and Muslim immigrants. The findings are consistent across alternative measures of multiculturalism and two large cross-national samples: The European Social Survey and the World Values Survey. Interestingly, we find some support that multiculturalist policies may be correlated with greater acceptance of homosexuality among natives rather than immigrant respondents. However, further research is necessary to develop and unpack this potential relationship.

Migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia: Migration patterns of immigrants in Zagreb

The 2011 population census recorded 4,290,612 residents of Croatia among which 584,947 or 13.7% were born abroad. Even though the most of them were born in Bosnia and Herzegovina (70% or 409,357) no research was conducted about this significant group of immigrants. This paper analyses the migration flows between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia during the last 60 years, especially focusing on demographic data available from diverse secondary sources and data on migration history and transnational activities obtained through empirical study ?The Effects of Immigration from Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Sociodemographic Development of Croatian Urban Areas?. The survey was conducted in 2014 in Sesvete, district of City of Zagreb on a judgemental/purposive sample of 301 adult Croatian residents born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Historical events (especially war) and economic developments had the influence on the number of immigrants as well as their motivation and decision to move from Bosnia and Hercegovina to Croatia. The data obtained through secondary sources and the results of conducted survey confirmed the shift in dominant migration patterns during three periods. First period, after the WWII until beginning of 1990s, indicated mostly labour migration where the migrations from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia were mostly driven by economic underdevelopment of the country of origin and directed towards Croatian commercial and industrial centres. In the first half of 1990s the change of socio-political system (breakup of the former federal state) and the war in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina induced significant forced migrations directed towards Croatia. After the end of the war and due to the consequences of armed conflict effecting the contemporary socioeconomic and political development of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a part of its citizens who were temporary settled in Croatia (as labour migrants or refugees) or elsewhere abroad, decided not to move back to Bosnia and Herzegovina but permanently stay in or move to Croatia. This was followed by the new period of migration driven (again) mostly by economic reasons complemented by general social situation and advanced unfavourable demographic processes in Bosnia and Hercegovina. These conditions stimulated the citizens of Bosnia and Hercegovina to migrate more frequently to other, economically more developed countries (Germany, Austria) effecting significantly the number of immigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Croatia. The respondents included in empirical research are mostly Croats by ethnic affiliation (93.4%) and 99% of them have Croatian citizenship. In the highest proportion they migrated to Croatia during the 1990s. The results showed statistically significant correlation between the area of Bosnia and Herzegovina from where they moved to Croatia and the period of migration (the most numerous migrations were recorded from the area of the contemporary Republika Srpska). Three most frequent reasons of migration were war destruction (41.5%), economic reasons (33.2%) and family reasons (13%). Almost two thirds of respondents (63.1%) had no prior migration experience and more than 90% plan to stay permanently in Croatia. The study also confirmed significant social and transnational activities of immigrants. However, these respondents cannot be considered as the ?typical migrants? since they largely share language, culture and tradition of receiving society which presents a favourable environment for their legal/political, socioeconomic and sociocultural integration.

Muslims, Socio-cultural Integration, and Pride in Canadian Democracy

In this paper, I use the General Social Survey 2013 (Cycle 27) and address three aspects of integration anxiety about Muslims in Canada: a) the extent to which Muslim immigrants' level of integration differs from other religious denominations, b) how Muslims differ from other groups in their support for democracy, and c) whether there is a relationship between integration and support for democracy. Results show that contrary to the anxiety of some academics, policymakers, and the public, Muslim immigrants in Canada are equally, if not more, integrated than Christians or other religious immigrants. They also express a higher sense of pride in Canadian democracy when compared to Christians or other religious groups. Finally, integrated immigrants have as much pride in Canadian democracy as assimilated ones, and both have more pride in Canadian democracy than those who are marginalized or have a separatist orientation. The implication of these findings for anxiety about Muslims' incompatibility with Western values are discussed.

“Mesafeler yakınlaştıkça kalplerimiz uzaklaşıyor”: Göçmenlerin Ulusaşırı Bilgi ve İletişim Teknolojileri Kullanımının Sosyo-Külterel Entegrasyonları Üzerine Etkileri

<p class="ql-align-justify">This paper examines the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the process of sociocultural integration of immigrants into the receiving countries. By focussing particularly on the context of Turkish immigrants in the UK, it aims to answer the questions of how the increasing level of communication and contact has influence the socio-cultural integration into the local life in the UK. Through a qualitative conduct, this research found that the participants regard ICTs as the tools for creating social bridges with the members of different groups. However, interestingly enough, a salient emphasis among the participants argues that the online contact with the social ties in the homeland trivialises the significance of pre-migration social ties, which eventually leads to the lesser degree of online contact with the people in Turkey. Additionally, it is found that the participants are strategically consuming and re-producing the cultural codes of Turkey, and articulating their senses of belongings by referring to individualised reference points.&nbsp;It is clear out of the data that participants utilise ICTs for making everyday life easier and the majority are eager to use the up-to-date technology of ICTs in order to maximise the benefits in their lives.&nbsp;Overall, this research found an increasing level of individualism and particularism in terms of sociality, identity, cultural codes and re-formation of everyday life. Considering these findings, this research discusses that the concept of integration should be revisited and elucidated since it remains inadequate in understanding these multiple life trajectories. Furthermore, since the socio-cultural implications of immigrants’ ICTs use are characterised by the individuality, temporality and hybridity, further research of which focal points different contexts and social settings is encouraged.&nbsp;

Состояние и проблемы социокультурной интеграции Крыма в Россию (Первый Крымский социологический форум)

Состояние и проблемы социокультурной интеграции Крыма в Россию (Первый Крымский социологический форум)

Estrategias y prácticas de inclusión de estudiantes migrantes en las escuelas de Arica y Parinacota, frontera norte de Chile

The aim of this article is to describe and characterize the strategies and sociocultural insertionpractices in migrant students (Peruvians and Bolivians) in schools located in the Arica andParinacota region, Northern Chile. It is analyzed how the formal educational system has notdeveloped institutional mechanisms of sociocultural integration that allow an appropiateinsertion to foreign students in chilean schools, whereby, different social agents (students,parents and representatives) have had to display strategies and specific insertion practicesadapted to the local context, generating emerging mechanisms of sociocultural integration.

Dialogue as a source of positive emotions during cross-border post-acquisition socio-cultural integration

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse how dialogue can be used to promote post-acquisition socio-cultural integration. Specifically, it addresses questions regarding when and how companies can utilise dialogue to generate positivity regarding socio-cultural integration.Design/methodology/approachA single case study approach was adopted owing to its suitability for creating in-depth understanding in the context of socio-cultural integration. Primary data were collected via interviews, an employee satisfaction survey, and participant observation. Secondary data were obtained from the case company’s internal materials, such as strategies, integration workflows, and employee magazines. Analysis methods included descriptive statistics and thematic qualitative analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that dialogue can be used to create positivity regarding socio-cultural integration throughout the stages of unfreezing, moving, and refreezing by actively engaging employees in voicing, listening, respecting, and suspending. It is proposed that cultural conflict during post-acquisition socio-cultural integration can be overcome through the generation of positivity; dialogue enables the collective management of emotions during post-acquisition integration by offering a platform for creating positivity and social cohesion; and due to its collaborative and engaging nature, dialogue provides an especially effective means of communication for overcoming cross-cultural conflict.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to showcase dialogue as a specific means of communication for creating positivity during cross-border socio-cultural integration. This study reached beyond comparative cultural research to offer views on positivity, emotion during socio-cultural integration, and dialogue as means for overcoming cross-cultural conflict.

Een staalkaart van statushouders

Abstract Integration of permit holders: looking back and moving forward: An overview of research on the integration of permit-holding asylum migrantsWhile the influx of asylum seekers is decreasing, the question emerges how to facilitate the integration of recently arrived permit-holding asylum migrants into the Dutch society. In this article we give an overview of existing research on the integration trajectories of earlier cohorts of permit-holders. We focus on their resources (education, language proficiency, health), their integration into the labour market, and on their socio-cultural integration: social contacts, cultural values and identification with host country. As integration is a two-way process, we also shed light on the receiving society: do permit holders feel accepted into the Dutch society and what is the public opinion on accommodating asylum seekers? We use these insights to discuss expectations on the integration of the current stream of asylum seekers.

Student Youth Tolerance as a Factor of Socio-Cultural Integration

Student Youth Tolerance as a Factor of Socio-Cultural Integration

HARMONIOUS COMPLEMENTARITY IN LEADERSHIP: A NECESSARY TOOL FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

This paper seeks to argue that harmonious complementarity in leadership remains a necessary tool that will navigate environmental consciousness and sustainable development in Nigeria. The choice of harmonious complementarity in leadership is pragmatically intended to utilize the facilities of local circumstance to address the confronting challenges of our existence. Harmonious complementarity in this context, implies the socio-cultural integration, co-operation and cross fertilization of natural and gifted ideas by the people within a defined political entity for the purpose of confronting a task that is before them. Under this ideal and leadership construction, the collective opinions of the people are sought and the consciousness of sustaining, protecting, preserving and/or promoting the environment becomes the collective task of the people; both the leader and the led. This is because environmental consciousness and positive awareness by the leadership would have risen to the climax that inappropriate laws and policies that were impairing sustainable development and negative activities of the human elements on the environment will be a relic of the past. This paper shall employ analytic and rational methods to drive home its argument. Keywords: Harmonious Complementarity, Leadership, Sustainability, Environment

Educación para la vida: una alternativa para el desarrollo humano en Nicaragua y América Latina

El artículo de investigación “Educación para la vida: Una alternativa para el Desarrollo Humano en Nicaragua y América Latina” centra su interés en el análisis de la educación formal, no formal e informal como mecanismos de formación e integración sociocultural que constituyen las bases para el Desarrollo Humano. La complementariedad de la educación en sus diversos ámbitos es una realidad emergente para hacer de la educación “Otra educación posible” donde el ser humano sea el centro del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje mediante la formación de valores culturales, la conciencia social y la necesidad eminente de replantear los paradigmas de la educación a bien de formar ciudadanos interculturales, con sentido de pertinencia y capacidad autocritica.

Language through a prism: Patterns of L2 internalisation and use in acculturated bilinguals

This paper investigates the extent of L2 use in language functions in sequential bilinguals following migration, and reports on patterns of L2 internalisation. Respondents consist of 149 highly educated L2-competent Polish–English bilinguals who relocated to the UK1112 out of the 149 participants were residing outside the UK (Republic of Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia.) as young adults, and underwent processes of acculturation. Language functions under investigation include inner speech, cognitive, and communicative functions. The independent variables include acculturation level, social network profile, length of residence, and predicted future domicile. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Respondents completed an online questionnaire and were interviewed by the researcher. The study included the Complementarity Principle into the operationalisation and measurement of language use in bilinguals (Grosjean, 2016). The findings revealed a consistent variation in the extent of L2 use across different language functions. Links were established between the extent of L2 internalisation and acculturation level, social network profile, and predicted future domicile. The results showed that sociocultural integration is a reliable predictor of the extent of L2 use across language functions. This study adds an acculturation perspective to current research on L2 internalisation and language development across lifespan, by measuring and juxtaposing the extent of L2 use across different language functions in sequential bilinguals following migration.

Back to Square One: Socioeconomic Integration of Deported Migrants

This paper addresses the issue of socioeconomic integration of forced return migrants, focusing on the Maghreb countries. Starting from the hypothesis that the return has to be prepared, I tested whether a disruption in the migration cycle (such as deportation) increases the individual's vulnerability and affects his integration from both a structural and sociocultural point of view, using the 2006 Migration de Retour au Maghreb (MIREM, or Return Migration to the Maghreb) survey. I found that forced returnees are more vulnerable to negative labor market outcomes compared to voluntary returnees. The absence of forced returnees from the labor market, or their underperformances, creates a net loss for the origin country and also incentives to re-migrate. The negative effect is statistically significant not only immediately after return, but also in the long run, at survey time. Forced return is also significantly and negatively correlated with sociocultural integration, reflecting a marginalization of deported migrants in their home environment, which may act as a re-emigration incentive.

Challenges newly-arrived migrant women in Montreal face when needing maternity care: Health care professionals\u2019 perspectives

BackgroundPeople who leave their country of origin, or the country of habitual residence, to establish themselves permanently in another country are usually referred to as migrants. Over half of all births in Montreal, Canada are to migrant women. To understand healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards migrants that could influence their delivery of care, our objective was to explore their perspectives of challenges newly-arrived migrant women from non-Western countries face when needing maternity care.MethodIn this qualitative multiple case study, we conducted face-to-face interviews with 63 health care professionals from four teaching hospitals in Montreal, known for providing maternity care to a high volume of migrant women. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed.ResultsPhysicians, nurses, social workers, and therapists participated; 90% were female; and 17% were themselves migrants from non-Western countries. According to participants, newly-arrived migrant women face challenges at two levels: (a) direct care (e.g., understanding Canadian health care professionals’ expectations, communicating effectively with health care professionals), and (b) organizational (e.g., access to appropriate health care). Challenges women face are strongly influenced by the migrant woman’s background as well as social position (e.g., general education, health literacy, socio-cultural integration) and by how health care professionals balance women’s needs with perceived requirement to adhere to standard procedures and regulations.ConclusionsHealth care professionals across institutions agreed that maternity care-related challenges faced by newly-arrived migrant women often are complex in that they are simultaneously driven by conflicting values: those based on migrant women’s sociocultural backgrounds versus those related to the implementation of Canadian guidelines for maternity care in which consideration of migrant women’s particular needs are not priority.

To return permanently or to return temporarily? Explaining migrants’ intentions

This paper explores migrants’ intentions to return to their origin country on either a permanent or temporary basis. The issue of return has played a key role in the debate on migration and development, but the role of temporary return in this process has seldom been addressed. We expand on the notion of return as an event or process that can be either permanent or temporary in nature, with both forms of return contributing to development processes. Using survey data from Afghan, Burundian, Ethiopian and Moroccan migrants in The Netherlands (N = 2745), we study how migrants’ experiences in countries of origin and destination are linked to their return intentions. We show that there are significantly more people interested in temporary than permanent return. Plus, while economic integration has no clear link with return intentions, individuals with lower socio-cultural integration are more likely to intend to return permanently. Moreover, social engagement in the homeland consistently positively relates to intentions for all types of return. Considering the potential positive impact of (temporary) return on development, this research provides insight into the profile of potential return migrants who could be facilitated to return by programs and policies that promote return for development.

Ethnic Societies’ Academic Studies as a Part of their Sociocultural Integration (By the Example of Romani Studies)

By the example of Romani studies, the article analyzes the problem of the small nations and ethnic minorities’ integration into the scientific and social communicative space, and the problem of the ethnic elite inclusion in the relevant professional layer. This process, associated with inclusion of the ethnic society representatives in the widest possible scope of macro communities, is considered as one of the important aspects of the human capital development in multicultural societies, and of the formation of all their members’ civic identity. The article reviews the features of the Roma integration in the environment, their groups’ current social status, as well as the relation towards them from the state and society. The data on academic Romani studies, and the main romalogical projects and initiatives in Russia and in the world, are systematized. The article summarizes the role of the scientific studies in the field of small peoples and ethnic minorities’ sociocultural integration.