TY - JOUR
T1 - The Self in Movement
T2 - Being Identified and Identifying Oneself in the Process of Migration and Asylum Seeking
AU - Watzlawik, Meike
AU - Brescó, Ignacio
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - How migration influences the processes of identity development has been under longstanding scrutiny in the social sciences. Usually, stage models have been suggested, and different strategies for acculturation (e.g., integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization) have been considered as ways to make sense of the psychological transformations of migrants as a group. On an individual level, however, identity development is a more complex endeavor: Identity does not just develop by itself, but is constructed as an ongoing process. To capture these processes, we will look at different aspects of migration and asylum seeking; for example, the cultural-specific values and expectations of the hosting (European) countries (e.g., as identifier), but also of the arriving individuals/groups (e.g., identified as refugees). Since the two may contradict each other, negotiations between identities claims and identity assignments become necessary. Ways to solve these contradictions are discussed, with a special focus on the experienced (and often missing) agency in different settings upon arrival in a new country. In addition, it will be shown how sudden events (e.g., 9/11, the Charlie Hebdo attack) may challenge identity processes in different ways.
AB - How migration influences the processes of identity development has been under longstanding scrutiny in the social sciences. Usually, stage models have been suggested, and different strategies for acculturation (e.g., integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization) have been considered as ways to make sense of the psychological transformations of migrants as a group. On an individual level, however, identity development is a more complex endeavor: Identity does not just develop by itself, but is constructed as an ongoing process. To capture these processes, we will look at different aspects of migration and asylum seeking; for example, the cultural-specific values and expectations of the hosting (European) countries (e.g., as identifier), but also of the arriving individuals/groups (e.g., identified as refugees). Since the two may contradict each other, negotiations between identities claims and identity assignments become necessary. Ways to solve these contradictions are discussed, with a special focus on the experienced (and often missing) agency in different settings upon arrival in a new country. In addition, it will be shown how sudden events (e.g., 9/11, the Charlie Hebdo attack) may challenge identity processes in different ways.
KW - Identification
KW - Identity
KW - Migration
KW - Refugee
KW - Self
KW - Social representation
KW - “European refugee crisis”
U2 - 10.1007/s12124-017-9386-6
DO - 10.1007/s12124-017-9386-6
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85015184487
SN - 1932-4502
VL - 51
SP - 244
EP - 260
JO - Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science
JF - Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science
IS - 2
ER -