Structural ‘Borders’ and the Disillusioned Diasporic Self: An Analysis of the Post-Immigration Experiences of South Asian Skilled Immigrants in the Waterloo Region in Canada Skilled Migration Flows and Borders in a Globalized World, Summer Institute Hari KC, Candidate, Global Governance

Outline The issue examined Methodology Data collection The disillusioned self Some dominant themes Significance and future directions

The issue examined Post-immigration experiences examined through parent-child (mostly conflictual) relational dynamic Structural barriers like relevant work experience, language, proper credentials, proper licences, etc. all add up to barriers to employment for immigrants.

Contd… Although credentials and other immigration requisites ultimately allow South Asian immigrants to cross the geopolitical borders, the structural “borders” prevent them from integrating into the Canadian society and constantly thwart them and keep them in a state of perpetual limbo. Immigration not a one-time phenomenon

The disillusioned self “Initially I did think that the people were very polite and the system was very supportive. As time went on, I began to realize that what is superficial isn’t the truth that is behind their appearance. Because it could be misleading although people may be welcoming, it doesn’t mean that you get what you want- could be volunteering job, or simple marketplace where you may not get what you want.” “I had everything back home: I had a car and a driver always standby; I had a servant to cook food for me and wash my clothes.” The area of diasporic experience encompasses many different dimensions of immigrants’ lives; hence examined through parent-child (mostly conflictual) relational dynamic.

Methodology Grounded theory method (Corbin and Strauss)– inductive approach; building theory method, not the “positivist” approach that verifies theory Constructivist grounded theory (Kathy Charmaz): “co-construction” of meanings by researcher and participant

Data collection Qualitative data collected from 11 South Asian immigrants living in the city of Waterloo (Canada) through semi-structured interviews Participants accessed through local community organizations and snowball sampling method

Acculturative Strategies of Parents and Children Outcomes: Nostalgia, diminished sense of self-worth, disillusioned self, ambivalent, psychological compensation and subjectivity in limbo Challenges understood and overcome Balance between both cultures Robust self, not disillusioned Indifference to both cultures: country of origin and the host country Outcomes: Defiance to parental authority, western individualism, lack of respect for elders, avoidance of the native language, dating and marriage Assimilation: Children’s Sphere Marginalization: Nobody’s Sphere Separation: Parents’ Sphere Integration: Ideal Sphere Acculturative Strategies of Parents and Children John W. Berry’s four model acculturation strategies Opposite acculturation strategies: parents more for separation and children more for assimilation

Conflicts with children The loop? Structural ‘borders’ Conflicted self Conflicts with children

Some dominant themes The diasporic self/subjectivity is disillusioned and conflicted; such conflicts are two-layered: the external conflict refers to the exteriorization of their strained/straining relationships while the internal refers to an inner conflict of the immigrant self. These two layers are though dialectical in nature, and each adds to the intensity of the other Immigrants’ ambivalence and oscillation/ two extremes/ love-hate/fascination-repulsion “I don’t understand why parents can’t shout at the child in the public place. I don’t think it is good for a parent not being able to tell a child what she really feels like. It feels like the parent is begging the child to ask him/her behave well. I don’t think this is the right way.”

Conclusion & future directions The diasporic self/subjectivity is disillusioned and conflicted, resulting largely from various forms of racial and structural “borders” that the immigrants are forced to confront with upon their emigration to Canada. Possibilities/risks depend on reconciling/resolving conflicts/contradictions