ACCULTURATION AND SOCIAL COHESION: EMERGING ISSUES FOR ASIAN IMMIGRANTS IN NEW ZEALAND

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ACCULTURATION AND SOCIAL COHESION EMERGING
ISSUES FOR ASIAN IMMIGRANTS IN NEW ZEALAND

• Colleen Ward
• Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research
• Victoria University of Wellington

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ASIANS IN NEW ZEALAND
9.2
6.9
14.6
67.6
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DIMENSIONS OF SOCIAL COHESION

• Recognition
• Belonging
• Participation
• Inclusion
• Legitimacy
• Jenson (1998)

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RESEARCH BASE

• National survey of attitudes toward immigrants,
  immigration and multiculturalism (n 2020)
• Follow-up survey on attitudes toward Muslim
  immigrants (n 302)
• Field experiment on migrant entry into the
  workforce
• International Comparative Study of Ethno-cultural
  Youth (n 555 Asian youth)
• Survey of first generation adult Asian immigrants
  (n 220)

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RECOGNITION means that people value diversity,
accept and respect differences, including
different opinions and values of the many
cultures that make up New Zealand.
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RECOGNITION

• Attitudes and discrimination
• Representation in government
• Migrant media

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It is a good thing for a society to be made up
of people from different races, religions and
cultures.
Ward Masgoret (2008)
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NATIONAL SURVEY of agreement

Ward
Masgoret (2008)
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PERCEPTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS
Aus GB S.A. India China Sam
Som Mig
Ward Masgoret (2008)
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PERCEPTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES
Ward Stuart (2009)
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PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES DISCRIMINATION IN THE
WORKFORCE?
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RESPONSES OF RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
Ward Masgoret (2007)
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PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION
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PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION IMMIGRANT YOUTH
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PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION ASIAN MUSLIM YOUTH
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BELONGING means having a sense of being part of
the wider community accepting peoples identity
and individuality while also recognizing that
people can belong to and identify with many
groups.
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BELONGING

• Attachment to identities
• Life satisfaction
• Intention to stay in New Zealand

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NATIONAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITY IN ASIAN YOUTH
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IDENTITIES IN ASIAN MUSLIM YOUTH
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LIFE SATISFACTION
Chinese Indian Korean Asian
Gold Standard
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ACCULTURATION DIMENSIONS
IMPORTANT?
CULTURAL MAINTENANCE
YES NO
Integration Assimilation
YES
PARTICIPATION
Separation Marginalisation
NO
Berry Sam (1997)
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ADULT ACCULTURATION ATTITUDES AND PREFERENCES
agreement
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YOUTH ACCULTURATION ATTITUDES AND PREFERENCES-
agreement
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POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF INTEGRATION

• Greater life satisfaction
• Fewer symptoms of psychological distress
• Fewer behavioural problems
• Better school adjustment

ICSEY project
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ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED ACCULTURATION ATTITUDES AND
PREFERENCES
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KEY FINDINGS

• New Zealanders have a strong multicultural
  ideology and generally positive attitudes toward
  immigrants
• Perceptions vary across ethnic groups
• There is a gap between multicultural principles
  and everyday practices
• Both new immigrants and NZers strongly endorse
  integration
• New immigrants reject and resist assimilation
• Integration associated with positive
  psychological and social outcomes

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POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Integration
Multiculturalism Social
Cohesion
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When the ethnically and culturally diverse
communities and individuals experience a sense of
belonging and their contribution is recognized,
celebrated and valued, and all people in New
Zealand are able to participate in all aspects
of New Zealand life, a socially cohesive society
will be achieved. Spoonley, Peace, Butcher
ONeill (2005)
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FURTHER READING

• Ward, C. (2009). Acculturation and social
  cohesion Emerging issues for Asian immigrants in
  New Zealand. In C.H. Leong J. W. Berry (Eds.),
  Intercultural relations in Asia Migration and
  work effectiveness. Singapore World Scientific.
• Ward, C., Kus, L. (2009/ under review). Back to
  and beyond Berrys basics The conceptualization,
  operationalization and classification of
  acculturation.
• Ward, C., Masgoret, A-M. (2008). Attitudes
  toward immigrants, immigration and
  multiculturalism in New Zealand A social
  psychological analysis. International Migration
  Review, 42, 227-248.
• Ward, C., Masgoret, A.-M. (2007). Immigrant
  entry into the workforce A research note from
  New Zealand. International Journal of
  Intercultural Relations, 31, 525-530.
• Ward, C., Masgoret, A.-M. (2006). An
  integrative model of attitudes toward immigrants.
  International Journal of Intercultural Relations,
  30, 671- 682.

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OEA- CACR Seminar Series

• Birte Blascheck
• Implications of diasporic public personalities
  for the next generation Examples from the
  Caribbean Canadian and Pacific New Zealand
  communities
• Thursday August 27, 3pm

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For further information contactColleen.Ward_at_vuw.
ac.nz