It has been observed that Italian immigrants in Vancouver do not make
use of community resources such as the community centres, library, and
the Young Women's Christian Association. This thesis investigates the
reasons for this phenomenon by studying the acculturation of Italian immigrant
families, with special reference to the use of leisure time.
Twenty-two immigrant families were interviewed, and responses were
recorded on a questionnaire by the interviewer. It was not possible to
obtain a random sample, consequently the respondents tend to represent
the economically more successful or those more active in church affairs.
The results of the study tend to confirm the initial assumption that
the Italian immigrant perpetuates an old world pattern familiar to him
by confining his social, cultural and recreational activities to his family,
kinship group, his church, and his ethnic organizations.
However, the study also shows that these patterns are undergoing
a gradual change. Mothers are participating in such strictly New World
activities, as the Parent-Teacher Association. Some children take part
in community centre activities. These initial steps towards using community
resources are particularly noticeable in those first generation Italian
immigrants who have been settled in their present neighbourhood for ten
years or more, and in the second generation.
The study will, it is hoped, be of interest to community planners.
The use of typical North American resources is part of a cultural pattern
to which some immigrant groups, at least, are not accustomed, and which
they adopt only gradually. The speed of acculturation probably varies
with the ethnic and cultural background of the groups. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / [other author Rosenbluth, Annemarie] / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/41704 |
| Date | January 1966 |
| Creators | Willman, Pamela Maude Albertina |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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