About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about methods for and challenges with studying acculturation, focusing in particular on: (i) considering the impacts of affluence and mobility on forced and voluntary migration; (ii) evidence of refugee and migrant movement in contrast to common media portrayals; (iii) John Berry’s modelling of acculturation strategies; (iv) Berry’s framework, which predicts that contact between cultures leads to cultural changes in both groups; (v) Berry’s distinction between the cultural and the individual levels of acculturation; (vi) the two key factors in deciding an acculturation strategy being the degree to which the migrant wishes to make connections with the new cultural group, as well as maintain aspects of their own culture; (vii) Berry’s four strategies being integrate, assimilate, separate and marginalise; (viii) Berry’s proposal that integration, whereby the migrant maintains aspects of their own culture while taking on aspects of their new one, is the most effective strategy; (ix) Berry and colleagues’ 2006 research, which explored the cultural integration experiences of youth migrants from around the world; (x) the three key questions from Berry and colleagues’ research being how youth migrants deal with acculturation, how well they adapt, and whether there are important relationships between these factors; (xi) Berry’s findings, that the most common acculturation strategy was integration, followed by separation, assimilation and marginalisation; (xii) the nature of Berry’s model being bi-directional, meaning it considers how the new culture responds to the immigrant as well; (xiii) Berry’s definition of multiculturalism incorporating the host culture’s encouragement of relationships with immigrants and its allowance of those immigrants to maintain aspects of their own culture; (xiv) Berry’s definitions of melting pot, segregation and exclusion; (xv) a review of some of Dr Parker’s own research into the acculturation experiences of migrants in Wales.

About the lecturer

Dr Sam Parker is a senior lecturer in social psychology in the Department of Health and Social Sciences at the University of the West of England, after moving from a lecturing position at Birmingham City University. Dr Parker’s research interests are in discursive psychology, forced migration and sexuality. Some of Dr Parker’s recent publications include ‘Just eating sleeping: Asylum seekers’ constructions of belonging within a restrictive policy environment’ (2018) and ‘It’s ok if it’s hidden: The discursive construction of everyday racism for refugees and asylum seekers in Wales’ (2018).