Identity Gaps of Contemporary U.S. Immigrants: Acknowledging Divergent Communicative Experiences |
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| Authors: | Ewa L Urban Mark P Orbe |
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| Institution: | 1. Western Michigan University , Kalamazoo, Michiganewa.l.urban@wmich.edu;3. School of Communication , Western Michigan University |
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| Abstract: | Through the lens of the communication theory of identity (e.g., Hecht, Collier, &; Ribeau, 1993
Hecht , M. L. ,
Collier , M. J. , &;
Ribeau , S. A. ( 1993 ). African American communication: Ethnic identity and cultural interpretation . Newbury Park , CA : Sage . Google Scholar]), this study examines how immigrants living in the United States negotiate multiple dimensions of their identities. A thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 17 immigrants from 16 countries explores what identity gaps exist for immigrants in the contemporary United States. Findings suggest that several identity gaps permeate immigrants' lived experience, including personal-enacted, personal-relational, enacted-relational, communal-relational, personal-communal, and enacted-communal gaps. Specific attention is paid to how these gaps are expressed differently by different immigrants. |
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| Keywords: | Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) Identity Gaps Identity Negotiations Immigrants Immigration Intercultural Communication |
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