How 'mutual' is acculturation?: Majority Australians' acculturation attitudes toward refugees
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
The Australian Psychological Society Limited
Place of Publication
Australian Community Psychologist
Faculty
Faculty of Education and Arts
School
School of Arts and Humanities
RAS ID
20405
Abstract
Acculturation is defined as a mutual and dynamic process of cultural change that occurs when two or more cultures come into contact. However, research interest in the attitudes of the majority or ‘host’ community is relatively recent and remains scarce. In this study we explored majority Australians’ views on acculturation in respect to refugees, including own-group acculturation: the extent to which they desire cultural maintenance and/or change in response to the growing ethnic diversity of Australian society. These views were explored through in-depth interviews with a sample of 14 participants who identified as Anglo-Australian. Thematic analysis of the data revealed eight themes relating to two research questions: how participants view their own acculturation, and how they view refugee acculturation. In general, participant s viewed their preferred acculturative change as minimal, but expected refugees to change in significant ways. The findings are discussed in the context of contemporary models of ‘mutual’ acculturation.
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
Rauchelle, K., & Dandy, J. (2015). How 'mutual' is acculturation?: Majority Australians' acculturation attitudes toward refugees. Australian Community Psychologist, 27(2), 5-18. Available here.