When immigrants move to another country, their success is determined by acceptance within the new society. Acceptance within the new society is dependent upon removal of the language barrier and thus learning the English language. My question for this study are as follows: 1) are there cultural or environmental barriers which may inhibit the ability of immigrant women to learn and use English, and 2) are there role expectations which may prevent women from taking full advantage of opportunities to learn the new language? Such barriers may arise from the nature of the interpersonal relationships or roles within the family unit, or values held by women or their spouse/partner, such as attitude toward gender equality, which could influence the ability or opportunity to learn English. This research explores the experience of immigrant women from the former Yugoslavia in accessing and learning the English language. These women who are between the ages of twenty and forty-five and their families, have immigrated to a small western Canadian city, since the war in that country in 1990. In addition, this study explores the influence of factors such as educational attainment, efficiency in their first language, motivation and desire on learning and retaining English. My analysis, based on interviews with seven immigrant women, revealed that even though hierarchical structure is evident in their cultural beliefs, women empower themselves through their motivation and desire to learn English, primarily for reasons of economic stability. / v, 112 leaves ; 29 cm.

À travers la présentation et l'analyse de documents d'archivé, ce mémoire explore quelques-unes des technologies de contrôle à partir desquelles les gouvernements du Québec et du Canada ont donné une réalité à un discours bien précis qui entremêle immigration, prospérité démographique et prospérité économique. Ce faisant, il retrace (ou plutôt explicite) les développements à l'origine de la conception de l'immigration indépendante qui prévaut actuellement dans les documents qui contiennent la politique d'immigration du Québec et du Canada.

Cette étude se penche sur les expériences d'un échantillon d'immigrants britanniques arrivant au Canada entre 1832 et 1842, principalement par le port de Québec. Par une analyse de leurs lettres et journaux de voyage, nous explorons les impressions des nouveaux venus, entre le départ du pays natal et le commencement de leur nouvelle vie en Amérique. L'objet de la thèse est de raffiner les interprétations des expériences migratoires en nous concentrant sur les immigrants eux-mêmes, pour ouvrir une fenêtre sur l'immigration vue de l'intérieur. Le projet brosse un tableau de la mentalité qui est celle de l'immigrant - les raisons de l'émigration, les inquiétudes, les espoirs et les rêves, les perceptions de la quarantaine à la Grosse-Ile et les premières impressions du port de Québec et du Canada. La thèse utilise d'une approche psychologique pour faire une étude qualitative des témoignages des immigrants. / This study looks at the experiences of a sample of sixty British emigrants who arrived in Canada between 1832 and 1842, mainly via the port of Quebec. The purpose of the research is to determine what it was like to be an immigrant during this early period of massive migration, and consequently focuses on personal perceptions of the immigration experience. Through an in depth analysis of immigrant writings, primarily letters and diaries, the thesis examines changing thoughts and feelings from the time of departure from Britain until arrival at destinations in North America. The research explores reasons for emigration, hopes and fears on the Atlantic crossing, views of quarantine at Grosse-Ile, and first impressions of the port of Quebec and Canada. This is a qualitative study which uses a psychological approach. / Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2013