Abstract
Based on the premises that immigration is a stressful event in people’s life, as it implies major changes, this dissertation proposal presents the structure of the actual dissertation that will assess the effects of immigration on the culture and family values of the Australian immigrants. Recent studies and existent research that evaluates how immigration impacts the new residents of Australia will be presented, in order to clearly define the topic adapted to the Australian context, a paradoxical location where multiculturalism meets racism. The dissertation proposal introduces the research methodology, namely the combined qualitative designs focus groups and desk research, elaborating on how the two methods will be integrated to reach the research objective. The analytical methodology is also described, in relation with the focus group component of the primary research. The dissertation proposal also presents incipient budgetary considerations, as well as a timeline of the dissertation. The proposed dissertation will contribute to the existent literature on immigration in Australia and will specifically explain how the immigrants’ culture and family values are affected by the immigration process in the Australian context, characterized by multiculturalism and acculturation, assimilation and separation, integration and marginalization.
Background and Rationale
Confronted with a new environment, immigrants face various challenges that may result in social pressures, isolation, grief or loss, among other sensations and attitudes related to their new land (Burnett, 1998). Facing cultural barriers, not knowing the language well enough to communicate with the local people or being perceived as an outsider are some of the major summons of immigrants all over the world (Bastian, 2012; Borjas, 1994). This situation also describes the issues that immigrants in Australia deal with in their quest to integrate. While integration is a solution for addressing the separation and isolation of the migrants, it nevertheless implies complex outcomes on their identities and their cultural and familial values (Naidoo, 2007). Australia is known for its multiculturalism policy, which creates controversies among the supporters of a unified Australia, with a single national identity and those who define as multiculturalists, as part of a nation with multiple ethnicities, encouraged to maintain their culture and tradition, while adjusting to local culture (Bastian, 2012; Naidoo, 2007; Williams, 1996). In this context, it is stringent to understand the effects of immigration upon Australian immigrants’ culture and family values. Multiculturalism, acculturation, assimilation, separation, marginalisation or integration are some of the phenomena to which Australian immigrants are exposed, which affect their cultural and familial values (Bastian, 2012; Borjas, 1994).
Research Objectives
While the cultural impact on Australian immigrants has received significant consideration across existent lectures (Bastian, 2012; Borjas, 1994; Burnett, 1998; Naidoo, 2007), this dissertation proposes to contribute to the available sources that address the effect of the immigration process upon their culture and family values. The dissertation also aims to identify what are the socio – cultural, political and economic mechanisms utilized in Australia for influencing immigrants’ own culture and their family values. Furthermore, a consequential objective that will result from the undertaken research, is to reveal procedures that need to be taken for addressing the problem through country – wide policies or practices.
With these objectives, the proposed dissertation is very important for the growing Australian immigrant population, as they will identify the difficulties and challenges they face as immigrants, while also recommend policy actions to reduce the impact of immigration on their culture and family values.
Research Plan
For approaching the proposed objectives, there will be conducted a primary research, which will focus on identifying the Australian immigrants’ perceptions on how the immigration impacted their culture and family values. Therefore, the proposed dissertation will integrate two qualitative designs, namely a focus group with Australian immigrants (individuals who were not born in Australia) on their immigration experiences, and a desktop research on designing and issuing public policies.
Study Design
The primary research will be conducted using the focus group methodology. Focus group is a qualitative research design, mediator assisted, in which the respondents are asked to discuss their feelings or opinions on the topic of the research, for approximately one to two hours (Tynan & Drayton, 1988). This design will best serve the first objective of the proposed study. In this sense, the questions included in the focus group discussion will centre on exploring the Australian immigrants’ feelings about the way in which the immigration to Australia affected their own culture and family values.
Desk research is also a qualitative research design, which implies that research is conducted from the office, collecting data without going on field (Hague, Hague & Morgan, 2013). This design will be useful for identifying reports, governmental guidelines and procedures on how to research, design and propose a public policy.
Analytical Strategy
For analysing the data obtained through the primary research, there will be applied the discourse analysis strategy, meant to capture common subjects, categories or codes, which are being perceived similarly or differently by respondents (Onwuegbuzie, Dickinson, Leech & Zoran, 2009).
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
The primary research is expected to turn accurate and ingenuous impressions regarding Australian immigrants’ feelings in relation to how their culture and familial values are affected by their living far from their home countries and by the Australian socio – cultural, political and economic context. Beyond media portrayals of the immigrants, who are stereotyped as either victims of the acculturation and assimilation or attackers of the Australian’s national culture, the expected outcome is to present a moderate and realistic reflection of what it means to be an immigrant in Australia. This realistic reflection is also an expected benefit of the dissertation. Furthermore, a desired benefit is to be able to produce a public policy regarding the right of Australian immigrants to defend, acknowledge and exert their culture and family values.
Ethical Implications
Consistent with the principles of the ethical, the identities of the respondents will be confidential. Furthermore, the focus group discussion will be organized and structured in an objective manner, in order to avoid bias responses and interpretations, with the mediator having a central role in keeping the discussion on the topic.
Budget
In the initial phase, of conducting the focus group, there will be no budgetary demands, as the sample population is small, reflecting the qualitative nature of the research. In the policy creation stage, a longitudinal research will be required for supporting the demands of the policy with quantitative data. At that point, the budget will need to cover the cost of transportation, diurnal expenses and logistics. These costs will be evaluated at a later phase.
Timeline
References
Bastian, B. (2012) in D. Bretherton and N. Balvin (eds) “Chapter 4 Immigration, multiculturalism and the changing face of Australia”. Peace Psychology in Australia. Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.
Borjas, G.J. (1994) The economics of immigration. Journal of Economic Literature. 32: 1667 – 1717.
Burnett, L. (1998) Issues in immigrant settlement in Australia. Sydney: Macquarie University.
Hague, P.N., Hague, N. & Morgan, C.A. (2013) Market research in practice. London: Kogan Page.
Naidoo, L. (2007 Rupture or continuity? The impact of globalisation on cultural identity and education in Indian immigrant families in Australia. Transnational Curriculum Inquiry. 4(1): 18-28.
Onwuegbuzie, A.J., Dickinson, W.B., Leech, N.L. & Zoran, A.G. (2009) A qualitative framework for collecting and analysing data in focus group research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 8(3):1-21.
Tynan, A.C. & Drayton, J.L. () Conducting focus groups – a guide for first – time users. Marketing Intelligence & Planning Journal. 6(1):5-9.
Williams, L.S. (1996) Effects of immigration on Australia: Research consensus as at May 1996. Making Multicultural Australia: 1 – 9.
