Re-imagining a Social Identity: Social Service Providers’ Perception of Undocumented Immigrant Youth’s Sense of Belonging

• In Event: Correctional Staff and Service Provider Perspectives on Offender Populations

Abstract

The goal of this exploratory study is to understand social service providers' perceptions of undocumented immigrant youth efforts to reimagine, build and establish a new social identity as they legally justify their presence in the United States. This study focused on two research questions: first, how do social service providers perceive undocumented immigrant youth reimagining a new social identity in the host society? Second, how are social service providers’ perceptions of the challenges faced by their clients modified by the services they provide?
The theoretical framework for this study was based on symbolic interaction which was inspired by Benedict Anderson’s classic Imagined Communities (1983, 2006). This paper will be based on the analysis of qualitative data of 80 in-depth interviews.
In summary, this exploration discovered that immigrant youth show great ability for imaginatively developing strategies to create a new social identity in order to survive and thrive under their difficult circumstances. Also discovered was that social service providers do make a difference in the lives of undocumented immigrant youth but also that not all social service providers are fully trained and prepared to assist these youth beyond normal standards.

Authors

• Francisco Alatorre, New Mexico State University

• Carlos Posadas, New Mexico State University

• Leslie Chilton, Arizona State University