An Intersectional Social Capital Model of Career Development for International Marriage Immigrants

Abstract

The phenomenon of women immigrating to marry has resulted in changing labor markets and increasing workforce diversity. However, because of a lack of social capital in their new country, immigrant women face significant barriers to gaining employment, have access to only limited work arenas, or remain at home as housewives. Existing studies of immigrant women are mainly limited to their human rights or cultural issues; there are few studies focusing on career development for them. This article uses social capital and intersectionality theories to create an intersectional social capital model of career development for immigrant women.The application of the model is explicated through the context of South Korea. The positive career development interventions as described in the model can help immigrant brides overcome multiple career-related barriers and find new roots.

Multiculturalism or Revamped Monoculturalism: Exploring the Principles, Policies, and Practices Enacted in Korea’s Changing Society

“…While all are of great concern, the latter two crises have contributed most to what Zlotnik (2003) terms the "feminization of international migration" (para. 4; see also Chung & Kim, 2012;Kang, Callahan, & Anne, 2015;Lee, 2012).…”

“…With the opening of immigration policies in the years thereafter, vast numbers of marriage migrants hailing from China, Mongolia, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam were sought out (Kim, Yoo, Jung, & Yang, 2015;Kim et al, 2013). In contrast to their middle-aged spouses, women emigrating for the purpose of marriage range in age from their teens to late 20s and generally have no more than a high school education (Kang et al, 2015;Kang, 2010). To such women, it is likely that marriage is viewed as a viable means of overcoming poverty, securing financial stability, and improving their quality of life.…”

Experiences of Foreign-Born Immigrant, Undergraduate Women at a U.S. Institution and Influences on Career–Life Planning

“…Many of the theories in the career development field are grounded in White, Western, male approaches to understanding work and career issues (Arthur & McMahon, 2005). Recently, this scope has widened to include more non-Western perspectives that incorporate a greater understanding of minoritized populations, immigrants, refugees, poor, undocumented students, and other underserved groups (Flum & Cinamon, 2011; Kang, Callahan, & Anne, 2015). Less is known about the experiences of foreign-born immigrant women undergraduate students including how their career-related experiences, needs, assets, and goals may be unique from nonimmigrant women in college.…”

Conflicts and Social Capital in Organizations

“…Shipley and Berry [22] proved that individuals who have high levels of personal SC receive more social benefits than the individuals who have low levels of personal SC. Some of these benefits in organizations are as follows: the status of the individual in the organization [23] receiving information and knowledge, amassing personal power, finding jobs and promotion-both within and between organizations [20,24], and even earning higher salary [25].…”