Cultural Identity and Acculturation Preferences Among South Asian Adolescents in Britain: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The study reported in this article is part of a wider research project on the adaptation of South Asians in Britain. It examines and compares the acculturation attitudes and cultural identity of Indian and Pakistani second‐generation adolescents Indian (Punjabi Sikh and Gujarati Hindu) and Pakistani (Muslim) in Britain. The research project integrates a social psychological approach to ethnic identity, Berry’s (Cross‐cultural Perspectives. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 1990) acculturation strategy and stress models, and Phinney’s (Journal of Early Adolescence, 9, 1989:34) model of ethnic identification. There were 240 adolescents, aged 13–18 years, with an even split between the genders. Results from this study suggested that the majority of Indian youth adopted integration strategies as opposed to Pakistani Muslims who adopted a separation strategy. Cultural identity is a term used to include both ethnic and national identities. Ethnic identity scores were high for Indian and Pakistani adolescents. National identity was more important for Indian adolescents but ethnic identity was more important than national identity for all groups. Perceived discrimination was related to acculturation strategies.

Göç, Kültürleşme ve Uyum

“…2011, Lahti ve ark. 2011, Lee ve Green 2010, Robinson 2009) Berry'nin kültürleşme modelinin temel alındığı, Berry'nin modelinin kültür-leşme yazınının en gözde yaklaşımlarından biri olduğu görülmektedir. Ancak bu durum modele eleştiriler getirilmesini engelleyememiştir.…”

“…Kişinin maruz kaldığını düşündüğü ayrımcılığın sosyal grubu ya da sosyal kimliği ile ilgili olduğuna inanması, 2. kişinin maruz kaldığına inandığı ayrımcılığın hak edilmemiş ve haksız olduğuna inanması (Major ve Sawyer 2009). Algılan ayrımcılık ile benimsenen kültür-leşme yönelimi arasında ilişki vardır (Robinson 2009). Algılanan ayrımcılık düzeyi arttıkça, kültürleşme ve uyum süreci sekteye uğramaktadır.…”

“…Robinson'a (2009) göre, bütünleşme yönelimini benimseyen gençlerde algılanan ayrımcılık düzeyi daha düşük, ayrılma yönelimini benimseyen gençlerde algılanan ayrımcılık düzeyi daha yüksektir. Ek olarak, azınlık grubun erkeklerinin algılanan ayrımcılık düzeyi azınlık grubu kadınları-nınkinden daha yüksektir (Robinson 2009). …”

A qualitative analysis of Muslim young adults’ adaptation experiences in New Zealand

“…Therefore, it is suggested that previous ways of conceptualizing the acculturation process for this group (as inherently risky and leading to poor adaptation), do not fully capture the reasons why these young people successfully manage the acculturation process. In fact, it may be that Muslim youth's religious identification is not progressively weakened or diluted as a result of their living in a Western context, but rather that this identification takes on new meanings and functions (Beckford, Glae, Owen, Peach, & Weller, 2006;Robinson, 2009). Kong (2010) proposes that religious identities can be a strong and positive tool for young people to subvert negative (discriminatory) discourses, and Archer (2001) argues that religious identity helps young Muslims to reject cultural loss, while unifying individuals as members of a global community of believers.…”

The Generation Game: Parenting and Child Outcomes in Second-Generation South Asian Immigrant Families in Britain

“…Robinson (2009) in a study of South Asian adolescents (13-18 years) found Indian adolescents were more likely to use integration strategies, while many Pakistanis partook in separation strategies. Lau (2000) and Berthoud (2000) both describe South Asian families in Britain as existing on a spectrum from traditional hierarchal family to 'Western' contemporary nuclear family.…”