Negotiating cultural Identities: A narrative study into identity formation of adolescent immigrants.

Riaz, Rabeya (2015) Negotiating cultural Identities: A narrative study into identity formation of adolescent immigrants. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Building upon Berry’s model of acculturation (Berry, 1990) this research aimed to gain an understanding of the acculturation strategies used by adolescent immigrants to negotiate their identity. Previous research suggests integration strategy to be the most successful strategy in producing the best psychosocial outcomes (Benet-Martinez & Haritatos, 2005); the present research aimed to explore the extent to which this claim is true. The study used a qualitative design; six semi-structured interviews were conducted. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the data. This method of analysis was employed as it is ‘concerned with how human life is storied’ (Miller, 2000: 310). Four themes emerged from the data; these were negotiating identity through religion, barriers to identity development, role of discrimination and a bit of both. The themes are discussed, a model was developed and implications for further research are considered.