Immigration Ethnography: A Study of Transnational Workers/Families Into a Small Midwestern Town

Presenter(s)

Salma Elsaadany

Abstract or Description

Migration is an increasing phenomenon of the 21st century that involves the remixing of identities, worldviews, and everyday practices. The globalization and mixing of different cultures as people transition between communities is a theme that can be studied through questions surrounding the experiences of migrants and exploring the adaptation/adjustment process they undergo. In focusing on how this process unfolds for people, one would usually think first of large cities like New York or Los Angeles as hubs for transnational people, but what about a small, midwestern town? Midland, Michigan houses a rich community of people who have immigrated from their home countries, largely due to the presence of a multimillion dollar chemical company (Dow Chemical) that brings in employees and their families from across the world. In this sociologically focused case study of the town, ethnographic research methods (including semi-structured interviews, participant-observational study) are used to explore the key question involving how immigrants adapt and adjust when moving between vastly home and host cultures. In this study, the experience of Arab immigrants is highlighted through interviews with immigrants from various Middle-Eastern countries. The purpose of this project is to find themes in different experiences, looking more closely and presenting these issues to those who may not understand things the challenges and changes immigrants can go through, including the ways this process shapes their identities, practices, and worldviews.

Mentor

Steven Fraiberg