Date of Award

1-1-2009

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Arts (DA)

Program

Humanistic Studies

Content Description

1 online resource (viii, 200 pages) : PDF file, illustrations, map

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Kwadwo Sarfoh

Committee Members

Dr. Kwadwo Sarfoh, Dr. Gwen Moore, Dr. Allan Ballard

Keywords

Acculturation, Assimilation, Ghanaian, Immigrant children, Mate selection, Physical punishment, Ghanaian Americans, Ghanaians, Ethnic relations

Subject Categories

Africana Studies | Sociology

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine the cultural adaptation process of the children of Ghanaian immigrants living in the Bronx, New York City. To this end, twenty-five Ghanaian immigrant children were interviewed. In an attempt to ascertain the extent to which these children have become acculturated to the host society and integrated into mainstream American culture, the focus of the interviews was on the impact of American culture on language, food, discipline, dress, religion, mate selection, and education. Interview participants were selected via snowball sampling. Employing a qualitative approach, I conducted face-to-face interviews consisting of open-ended questions aimed at establishing the level of acculturation of Ghanaian immigrant children living in the Bronx. The findings indicate that participants are bilingual. The majority of interview participants prefer Ghanaian to American food. Corporal punishment is deemed an acceptable means of disciplining children. Since Ghanaian women traditionally wear dresses, the female participants in the study can be viewed as acculturated by virtue of their habit of wearing pants. Finally, participants conveyed their conviction that parents are not to restrict their children in the matter of mate selection.

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