Lynda Nyce, Ph.D. Visiting Research Fellow Robert Reyes, Ph.D. Director of Research

1. Transnationalism and Educational Decision-making among Latino Immigrant Families: Building Theory in Northern Indiana Lynda Nyce, Ph.D. Visiting Research Fellow Robert Reyes, Ph.D. Director of Research

2. Outline • Making the case for theory building • The state of theory about immigration • Sharing what we are learning in our part of the country; provide examples for theory building from this context • Engaging together and our experiences to build theory that links transnational migration and education

3. Rationale and Objectives • Construct theory that links macro and micro realities of Latino immigrant families • Construct linkages between mobility, flux, uncertainty created by migration and micro processes of decision-making and identity development • Learn together through using a model of theory construction that integrates disciplinary understanding, multiple locations of understandings and data into theory • Continue to collaborate beyond today

4. The case for theory building • A. Portes’ (1999) argues for buidling theory of immigration containing the following elements: • Element 1: Delimitation and description of some patch of reality (case study) • Element 2:Identification and definition of a process or characteristic to be explained, e.g. a DV (empirical generalization) • Element 3: One or more explanatory factors and their types of effects (theoretical statement) • Element 4: Logical link to at least one similar proposition (theory)

5. Current state of theory • Macro theory on economics, narrowly defined as jobs • Mexican Migration Project; e.g. Massey (2006), Durand and Massey (2004) • Acculturation theory on education: educational attainment, language acquisition, values • Cabassa (2003), UCLA Home/School Study (e.g. Reese, L. (2002), Goldenberg, C. N. & Gallimore, R. (1995)) , Lugo Steidel and Contreras (2003) • Identity development among Latino students • Torres, 1997; 2003 • Decision-making and networks • Haug, 2008

6. Massey (2006)

7. Cabassa, 2003 • To understand individual’s acculturation experience, the context (e.g. social and economic environment of home and host cultures) for the acculturation process must be examined • Theory of acculturation must be expanded beyond uni-dimensional models or bi-dimensional models to incorporate theory, such as stress-coping, from multiple disciplines

8. Bicultural Identity Model The conceptual idea behind cultural orientation is to understand the nuances among the Latino college student population by looking at the choices they have made between two cultures. Hispanic Orientation This orientation indicates greater comfort with the culture of origin. Marginalized Orientation It indicates discomfort with both cultures and may indicate conflict within the individual. Bicultural Orientation This orientation indicates a comfort level with both cultures. Anglo Orientation Indicates greater comfort with the majority culture Torres, 1997

9. Haug, 2008 • An interdisciplinary approach linking economic approaches to migration with social networks and social capital decision-making by migrants is needed • “Location-specific capital at the place of destination increases the probability of emigration intentions and therefore may increase the probability of emigration” (600) • There is no consensus in migration decision research about necessary and adequate factors (economic and non-economic motives) to be included in a theoretical model

10. Element One: Case StudyThe Northern Indiana Context • Delimitation and description of some patch of reality • Grounded theory data collection and analysis tradition using multiple sources of data • newspapers, notes from conversations with key informants and public meetings, data from La Casa and other community and development organizations, city government, churches, local school systems, and surveys of Movil Consular participants • face to face, semi-structured interviews (30)

11. Interviews: Participants are parents of middle and/or high school children in Goshen City Schools, West Noble Schools (completed in Spanish and/or English) Working with Parent Liaisons ENL staff to schedule interviews this spring Content: migration to the area, transnational moves, social networks that help settlement into the community and labor market access, values about educational, and educational decision-making Progress: interviews with 6 people completed, including one focus group format Progress

12. Local Context City of Goshen unemployment rate: Elkhart County unemployment rate:

14. Elkhart County Racial/Ethnic Demographics 2000 Elkhart County Racial/Ethnic Breakdown 2006 Elkhart County Racial/Ethnic Breakdown Source: U.S. Census Bureau Source: U.S. Census Bureau

15. Ethnicity- Goshen Community Schools, 2007 Source: Indiana Accountability System for Academic Progress (ASAP)

16. Minority Student Population 1990-2007 Source: Indiana Accountability System for Academic Progress (ASAP)

17. After years of sustained growth, Indiana’s immigrant populations has at least stagnated and possibly declined in size. Naturalized citizens 94,120 49,312 94,727 1990 2006 2007 Authorized immigrants 79,774 71,548 2006 32,524 2007 1990 Unauthorized immigrants 92,135 91,425 2006 2007 11,000 1990 Sagamore Institute for Policy Research, February 11 2009

18. Element Two: Empirical Generalization • Identification and definition of a process or characteristic to be explained, e.g. a DV • What explains migration patterns of Latino immigrants to Goshen, Indiana? Dependent variable = migration patterns • How do Latino immigrant families make decisions about children’s education? Dependent variable = educational decision-making

19. Goshen Interview Participant • “In my hometown [Apan, Higalgo, Mexico], we don’t have good schools…so many people move to bigger cities for better education and for better jobs; we move out. For some reason, we know someone, in Goshen, that’s why we got here. I learned that schools here, education, is much better. That’s when I decided to bring my kids to US for education; that was my main goal…Always education is the key for every human to get better. ... So I decided to bring my kids here, for the education. I used to have a job in Mexico, but level of education for kids I wanted wasn’t there.”

20. Element Three: Theoretical Statement • One or more explanatory factors and their types of effects • Latino immigrants were moving to Goshen for better economic opportunities and now they are leaving for the same reason. • Education of children is very important to Latino parents and is a priority for their lives. • Interaction effects: • Having a job • Social networks with information about the home or other community • Immigration status

21. Goshen Interview Participants • Mi nino [12 años] dos años aqui, studiar aqui; es dificil cambiar a Mexico; no recuerda nada a Mexico… • Pero, importante de familia, es unidad de la familia • mas dificil a regressar; contenta aqui; pero, lo economico…a regressar por lo economico y muchas cosas – me gusta aqui • La vida es muy differente a Mexico; Apan vida es duro; escuela es no muy bueno.

22. Element Four: Theory • Logical link to at least one similar proposition • Migration and dislocation provide the context for decision-making regarding educational outcomes. • “The more a family sees formal education as important, the more likely they are to migrate to create the opportunities for their children’s educational success.” • Tying macro contextual factors with micro-level decision making

23. Diagram

24. Questions? • Comments? • Criticisms?

25. Theory Construction Activity • Theory construction: • Active participation in groups • Overview of process • Goal: Construct theory that links macro and micro realities of Latino immigrant families

26. Task One • Identify our context (case studies) for each other • Record names and context description

27. Task Two • Examine the empirical generalizations about what is happening in Goshen. • Discuss these processes and characteristics – edit, change, amend, re-work these statements • Create empirical generalizations from your contexts

28. Task Three • Identify explanatory factors and their types of effects • Write and/or draw out or map theoretical statements that bring together empirical generalizations from multiple contexts

29. Hear from each group – empirical generalizations, theoretical statements Next steps Summary Discussion

30. References • Cabassa, L (2003). Measuring Acculturation: Where we are and Where we Need to Go. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25(2), 127-146. • Durand, J & Massey, D (2004). Crossing the Border: Research from the Mexican Migration Project. NY: Russell Sage Foundation. • Goldenberg, C. N. & Gallimore, R. (1995). Immigrant Latino parents' values and beliefs about their children's education: Continuities and discontinuities across cultures and generations. In P. Pintrich & M. Maehr (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement ,Vol. 9., 183-227. • Haug, S. (2008). Migration Networks and Migration Decision-Making. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34(4), 585-605. • Lugo Steidel, A.G. & Contreras, J (2003). A New Familism Scale for Use with Latino Populations. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25(3), 312-330. • Portes, A. (1999). Immigration Theory for a New Century: Some Problems and Opportunities. In C. Hirschman, P. Kasinitz, J. DeWind (Eds.), The Handbook of International Migration: The American Experience (pp. 21-33). NY: Russell Sage Foundation. • Reese, L. (2002). Parental Strategies in Contrasting Cultural Settings: Families in Mexico and "El Norte."  Anthropology & Education Quarterly,33(1), 30-59. • Torres, V (2003). Influences on Ethnic Identity Development of Latino College Students in the First Two Years of College. Journal of College Student Development, 44(4), 532-547. • Torres, V. & Phelps, R. (1997) Hispanic American Acculturation & Ethnic Identity: A Bi-Cultural Model. College Student Affairs Journal, 17(1), 53-68. • http://www.hoosierdata.in.gov/docs/laus/laus_map.pdf • http://www.nidataplus.com/ctyrate1.htm#fog