Negotiating identities and communities: Unheard voices of Korean immigrant parents and young children

Abstract

This study examines social narratives of Korean immigrant families with their young children focusing on how Korean immigrant families describe themselves based on their ethnic community experiences. This study helps uncover their dynamic identities as a Korean, which cannot be bound by a single level of racial identity development. The findings indicate that the parents repeatedly expressed strong resistance against certain stereotypes attributed to their ethnic group, problematizing such stereotypes and critically consciously setting themselves apart, different from the label of "Typical Korean," whereas the children showed a firm and positive perspective toward their ethnic and sociocultural identity as either Korean or Korean American. Findings suggest that immigrant parents may pay more careful attention building strong and healthy communities where children can develop a positive sense of identity. This study also sheds light on diverse aspects that have not yet been emphasized in the research on how the Korean families negotiate their identities and communities while living as immigrants.

The Perceived Challenges of Anglophone Expatriate Male Spouses Living in South Korea: A Qualitative Case Study

“…Likewise, numerous studies have been conducted on the multicultural children and adolescents growing up in Korea (Bahk et al, 2017;Cho & Moon, 2012;Kim, 2016b;Kim et al, 2018;Lee et al, 2019;Park & Lee, 2016). There have also been attempts to understand how discriminatory experiences impact immigrant groups (Kim, 2016;Kim & Won, 2015;Ra et al, 2019) as well as some research conducted on Korean immigrant mothers' and fathers' negotiation of ethnic identity conflicts in the United States (Yu, 2017). Regarding husbands of multicultural families in Korea, Korean male spouses have been studied (Park et al, 2021) to a limited extent.…”

A new look at Korean Canadians and the immigrant experience in Toronto as explored in Canadian media: CBC’s Kim’s Convenience

“…Negotiation is a fundamental aspect of intergenerational relations amongst firstgeneration immigrant parents and their children (Yu, 2017). The concept of negotiation is often used in sociological research on intergenerational families, where it refers to the work of balancing ideals, practices and situational demands concerning young people's issues which takes place between second-generation Canadians and their parents (Connidis and McMullin, 2002).…”

Understanding the Ethnic Self: A Qualitative Study of 1.5 Generation Korean American Immigrants

“…Bicultural identity development is a process that takes time and is impacted by multiple sociocultural contexts (Meca et al, 2019;Pyke & Dang, 2003;Yampolsky et al, 2013;Yu, 2017). For example, geographical location, where Korean immigrants settle down in the U.S., can largely influence their cultural identity.…”