International Journal of Human Ecology

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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Always Learning from Each Other: Cultural Identity Development in Two Generations of Korean Immigrant Fathers

  • Kwon, Young-In (Gender Research Institute, Yonsei University) ;
  • Roy, Kevin M. (Family Science Dept., University of Maryland)
  • Received : 2012.03.08
  • Accepted : 2012.05.22
  • Published : 2012.06.30
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Abstract

Using a life course framework, we compare and contrast the processes of acculturation for first- and second-generation Korean immigrant fathers in the United States. In-depth life history interviews were conducted with 20 first-generation and 15 second-generation fathers in the Midwest. With a modified grounded theory approach of constant comparison, we first explored how these fathers developed their identities in the midst of cultural and social transitions. These men's identity construction was shaped by socio-economic statuses and accessibility to cultural resources, with a marked shift over time toward integration of Korean and American identities. We then examined how these identities informed the men's socialization of their children, and the children's socialization of their parents.

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