Call number: LD2668 .T4 1948 K5 / Master of Science

Note:

The purpose of this study is to examine the socio-economic adjustment of Finnish immigrants in Vancouver with a special reference to their use of social welfare services. It surveys the Finnish immigrants' living conditions, housing, interpersonal relationships and their knowledge of the English language. It focuses on Finnish immigrants' use of social assistance, social group work and recreation services, their opinions of, and attitudes toward, social welfare matters and their knowledge of social welfare services. The method of the study consists of three related parts: a) interviews with the personnel of Finnish associations and churches and with individual Finns, b) examination of the records of Vancouver City Social Service Department and some social group work and recreation agencies, and c) distribution of a questionnaire among the sample group of Finns. The sample group of 200 was selected from 800 adult Finns as indicated by the Vancouver City Directory 1954. This study shows that social welfare services are not used by the Finns in Vancouver except in extreme need. Social assistance is the most commonly used service. Finnish immigrants become dependent on social assistance because of sickness and lack of savings. Ethnic societies and churches play an important role in welfare of the Finns. The study seems to indicate that a number of Finns have difficulties in their adjustment to Canadian society. Difficulties arise from their lack of knowledge of the English language and their meagre economic resources on their arrival in Canada. These hamper the Finns in their social relationships. This study seems to suggest that if the difficulties of immigrants are to be alleviated, a more active program of selection, pre-migration preparation and follow-up services must be initiated by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Ethnic societies and churches must also take more responsibility in acquainting newcomers with the Canadian manner of living and attempt to bridge the gap that seems to exist between native Canadians and immigrant populations. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of the local Citizenship Council in assisting new immigrants upon their arrival in the community, and during their subsequent early residence in their new environment. The study considers the problems of organization and administration faced by the Councils; and the individual and group adjustments faced by the immigrant. The broad implications of community organization, and of education for citizenship, are also examined. Time and geographical factors limited the study to three Councils, located in Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo. The essential material of the study has been derived from interviews with various executive members of the Councils concerned, and from perusal of their records and minutes of meetings. This resulted in some limitations, especially when the minutes or records were inadequate or incomplete. The study shows (1) the value of the guidance, leadership and stability provided by the Community Chest and Councils, when new organizations are formed within the community; (2) that a Council programme should evolve out of discussion and participation with local voluntary groups interested in the adjustment of the immigrant, and with the government agencies concerned; (3) membership should include representatives of ethnic groups, who should participate in planning the programme; and (4) that care is required in formulating any policy regarding citizenship education within the community; initially, their programme should be primarily concerned with meeting the immediate needs of the immigrant. It is hoped that this study will be of value to Citizenship Councils now functioning, by emphasizing the need for application of sound community organization principles; and will assist Councils now in the formative stage, by pointing out some of the difficulties encountered in creating a voluntary organization which attempts to work with diverse nationality groups. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This thesis analyzes German immigration to Canada in the period following the Second World War and primarily focuses on the settlement of these immigrants in Vancouver. By examining residential patterns, economic experiences, the role of German churches and Saturday schools, language retention, and the secular organizations maintained by Vancouver's German population, it becomes apparent that Germans' attempt to adjust to Canadian circumstances entailed two, seemingly contradictory phenomena: speedy integration and assimilation into the mainstream of Canadian society on one hand, and support for ethnic social, economic, religious, educational, and cultural institutions on the other. The study concludes that assimilation and ethnicity were thus not mutually exclusive. Immigration gave individuals the opportunity to weigh alternatives with regard to social form and institutions, personal values, and the role of their ethnicity in the new life offered by Canada. Consequently, involvement in the local German community may be attributed to as complex causes as the supersession of ethnic origin as a basis of association by other sources of group identification. Yet, even though German-Canadians were highly assimilated into Canadian society by the end of the postwar period, they may have preserved a sense of ethnic identity that did not manifest itself in any visible behaviour. / Arts, Faculty of / History, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

Early contact period studies of first intercultural interactions are important for understanding both traditional pre-contact society and the changes brought about by culture contact. Using documentary records kept by early Euroamerican visitors, the sociolinguistic technique of interactional analysis was employed to identify and analyze specific Euroamerican descriptions of intercultural exchange interactions during early contact period Hawai'i (1778-1819). Statistical analyses revealed clear and consistent differences in the reported exchange experiences of high and low status individuals from both cultures. In the majority of the seven hundred and one (701) events, high status individuals from both cultures interacted together or low status individuals from both cultures interacted together. Interactions with mixed high and low status interactants rarely were reported. High status interactions were described in more detail than were low status interactions, and high status interactants were associated much more frequently with the rarer or less common aspects of exchange than were low status interactants. This was true for type of exchange, nature of exchange (whether mediated or direct), complexity of event description, and both Euroamerican and Hawaiian exchange goods. Narrator and voyage characteristics exhibited similarly distinct status associations. The early historic period was not a homogeneous or monolithic period. All major aspects of exchange events demonstrated simple diachronic change, and many were significant under more powerful statistical analysis as well. Some temporal variations were due to changes in narrator characteristics, particularly purpose of voyage. Other changes reflected shifting methods of control by both Euroamerican and Hawaiian high status individuals as well as the consolidation of power by high status Hawaiian ali'i. Mediated events were especially good indicators of these developments. A complementary analysis of thefts revealed clear status distinctions between low status Hawaiian thieves, low status Euroamerican victims, and high status Hawaiian agents of return. These descriptions indicated that thefts were neither numerous nor particularly important. Thus, interactional analysis provided an alternative to anecdotal ethnohistoric analysis. At the same time, it demonstrated the importance of analyzing collections of ethnohistoric documents in order to assess the variation (and the meaning of that variation) both within and between the individual documents.

Although most whites have remained in Zimbabwe after independence and not all who have emigrated came to South Africa, large numbers established themselves as an immigrant community in this country. The aim of this study is to "sociologically capture" this community's views about their past experiences in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and their present experiences in South Africa. This is done by employing a generative methodological procedure whereby members of the target population themselves generated issues considered to be of importance to their previous and new situational contexts. As it was not possible to obtain a random sample of all Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa, questionnaire data were collected from four separate categories of respondents. In addition, depth interviews were conducted and thus responses have been analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings demonstrate that for the most part, few "Zimbabweans" - whites who are reasonably accepting of the new socio-political order in independent Zimbabwe - have come to South Africa. Rather, most of the immigrants, whose views were canvassed in this research investigation, seem to be bitter "Rhodesians" who have been unable to accept change and integration and the consequent loss of white privilege in the new Zimbabwe. These recent immigrants have not found all things to their satisfaction in South Africa moreover, despite the similar socio-political structures in former Rhodesia and contemporary South Africa.

Historically, immigrants to Canada arrive, learn the language, search for satisfying work and lead productive, meaningful lives. However, the barriers are immense. Recently, Vancouver Community College at the King Edward Campus has tried to meet the needs of adult immigrant learners. The diagnosis of learners needs has a high priority in adult education. The general form of the Education Participation Scale (EPS) describes reasons why people partake in adult education programs. However, because the data collected to complete the general EPS was drawn from a middle class population, it did not reflect the reasons tendered by disadvantaged learners. Also, the language used on the instrument was too difficult. Subjects in this study were Adult Basic Education (A.B.E.) students, enrolled in programs at Vancouver Community College, predominately at King Edward Campus. During the first step 150 students were asked about why they were enrolled. These reasons were listed, edited and combined with the general form of the E.P.S. Care was taken to ensure that the items and the instructions could be read at a grade seven level. The 120 item instrument was then administered to a different group of 257 participants at the college where the items had originated. Factor analyses produced a seven factor solution of 42 items with each factor containing 6 items. The seven factors are: Communication Improvement; Social Contact; Educational Preparation; Professional Advancement; Family Togetherness; Social Stimulation; Cognitive Interest. For test retest reliability purposes the instrument was administered twice (with a four week interval between administrations) to 63 participants. Reliability coefficients for each factor, as well as the entire scale, were calculated. The instrument was deemed to be reliable over time. The motivational orientations of people from Canada were compared to those from the Middle East, Asia, East Europe, West and South Europe, Latin and South America and other places. There were significant differences in the mean scores (by country of birth) on the Communication Improvement, Professional Advancement, Social contact and Family Togetherness factors. It appears that a case can be made for arranging unique educational experiences for people with different motivational profiles. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

Master thesis "Comparison of Immigrant Integration Policies in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic" aims to give an evaluation of existing immigrant integration policies focused on the third-country nationals, from the perspective of their different socio-political historical developments and their practical functioning at the present days. This involves assessment of roles of all involved actors: the newcoming immigrants, already settled immigrants and both governmental and non-governmental actors. Conclusions of the thesis will reveal the main differences in the integration policies of the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.