Publication Date

2009

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Subjects

Arab Australians, Immigrants, Adjustment (To environment), Community psychology, Values, Family, Cultural influences, Qualitative research

Abstract

This book examines the psychological problems that Arab immigrants experienced in their efforts to adapt socially and culturally when they settled in Australia. The research was based on a group of 40 participants, 16 of whom migrated to Australia between 1973 and 2004. The other 24 were all of Arab descent and born in Australia. The participants’ ages ranged between 14 to 66 years of age. The methodology for undertaking the research utilised humanistic sociology principles, particularly when collecting and analysing qualitative data. This investigation is divided into three sections. The first part focuses on the psychological issues resulting from migration and adaptation to Australian culture and customs. The second section concentrates on socio-cultural factors especially the maintenance of traditional Arab religious practices, family values, language and personal identity. The third analyses the respondents’ perceptions of the ways in which Anglo-Australian host society has responded to Arab immigrants and their children. The findings indicate that Arab immigrants endured many challenges when adapting to a new culture. They had to adjust to its values and morals, which were new and alien to them, and learn to integrate the old with the new culture so they could live comfortably. The major finding of this book is that the Arab immigrant families did adjust to the new country wholeheartedly, even in the first generation, partly by maintaining the core values of their Arab home culture. Adapting to mainstream Australian culture was more pronounced in the second generations. Nonetheless, there was an equal enthusiasm from younger people of Arab descent who were born in Australia to retain and express the values of their family elders’ culture and to explain and share it with Australians from non-Arab backgrounds.

Place of Publication

Adelaide, Australia

Publisher

Shannon Research Press

ISBN

978-1-920736-40-8

Geographic Subject

Australia, Australia

Adaptation of Arab immigrants to Australia

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