Description:
This book explores the social, educational and linguistic acculturation of a group of Saudi wives and mothers sojourning in New Zealand while their husbands undertook full time study. Such sojourners, and their families, are faced with many challenges due to linguistic, social and cultural distance - as well as ethnic stereotyping and prejudice. They tell their stories in a series of interviews and focus groups, relating their pre-sojourn background, the challenges they faced and the changes they made during their sojourn, and their preparation for returning home post-sojourn. The narratives illustrate how these women renegotiated their own identities in relation to their changed circumstances and environment. The authors address the distinctive challenges faced by sojourners as opposed to immigrants, and present a nuanced and detailed picture of the women as individuals negotiating the complex interaction between the influence of the host country and the Saudi and Islamic identities of themselves and their children.
Brief description:
Esra Yaghi is Student Learning Developer at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Her research interests include issues in ethical research and second culture identity.
Review Quotes:
This brilliant work uniquely examines how Saudi Arabian mothers adapted to their new cultural environment in New Zealand through a community of social practice. The book provides excellent insights into the difficult task of acculturation that most immigrants experience in terms of identity adjustments, especially for parenting and children's education in a new country.