1998/99 PCERII Funded Research Abstract

Research Title: Immigrant Families and Community Services: Change and Policy

Research Team:    Dan Chekki (University of Winnipeg) - Principal Investigator

Research Domain(s): Social

This research project will focus on the role of youth, women and friends in the process of immigrant family adjustment. What adaptive strategies contribute to integration of immigrants into Canadian society, and what conflicts do they experience? Is there a difference in strategies between the first and the second generation? What are government and NGO policies toward adaptation/integration, and can these be reformulated to respond more effectively to conflict? This research attempts to examine these issues in light of theories of assimilation within the Canadian model of multiculturalism. The purpose of this study will be to address the scarcity of research dealing with first and second generation immigrant families, focusing on second generation youth in Canada. The research sample will include 200 households representing immigrant groups which have been the fastest growing in Manitoba in recent decades: Filipino, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European. Interviews will be carried out with first generation immigrants and their children residing in the Greater Winnipeg area. Policy issues to be explored include long-term retention of immigrants in Winnipeg, and the real benefits of policies which facilitate adaptation and adjustment of immigrant groups, as a long-term investment.