Towards Immigrant Integration & Cultural Identities

This master thesis project delves into the intricate effects of culture shock in immigrant integration and cultural identities. The main research aims to develop an analysis of the main effects of culture shock in immigrants towards their decisions to adopt, reject or include a hybridlike addition of the host culture into their own cultural identity. The concept of culture shock given by Oberg (1960) and Berry's (1997) acculturation model provide a lens through which the thesis is approached, and immigrants' experiences are dissected. I argue that there is an effect on immigrants' integration process from the time arrival towards the present, where their cultural identities are affected by the cultural shocks that they have come across. This study tries to illustrate the underlying reasons behind their integration process that have not been as investigated in the Netherlands. The different accounts of experiences and perception of the Dutch social circles and culture, are given through their own personal lens and point of view. A sample of n=(22) immigrants were extracted through a survey and semi-formal qualitative interviews. Findings help put a different perspective towards immigrant integration through culture shock, and provides a detailed analysis of individual's personal, emotional and cultural process in the Netherlands. This is accompanied by personal accounts of the individuals and testimonies of the coping mechanisms. These have helped them to seemingly become part of the Dutch social fabric, and the genesis of new cultural identities. The adoption, rejection and hybrid integration of aspects of the Dutch culture are also connected to the progressive transformation that they have undergone because of the effects of culture shock. The interpretation of the interviews could make use of investigating the Dutch perspective into account to obtain a balanced outlook on immigrant integration, and the culture shock they experience as locals. The findings suggest that acculturation strategies between immigrants to be tied to their emotional reactions to shock, their own cultural identity re-building and social networking.