Resisting the Notion of a 'Typical' Immigrant Experience: A Thematic Analysis of Communication, Identity Gaps, and Cultural Worldviews

• In Event: Top Papers in International/Intercultural Communication

Abstract

This qualitative study examined how immigrants, who live in the U.S., negotiate the multiple dimensions of their identities. The Communication Theory of Identity was used as a theoretical framework to explore the ways in which cultural worldviews, including transculturalism and transnationalism, impact identity negotiations. Data was collected through 17 individual in-depth interviews with immigrants from 16 different countries, and it was analyzed using McCracken's (1988) guidelines.

Authors

• Ewa Urban, Western Michigan University

• Mark Orbe, Western Michigan University