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Why Immigrants’ Multiple Identities Matter: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice
Author(s) -
Wiley Shaun,
Fleischmann Fenella,
Deaux Kay,
Verkuyten Maykel
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/josi.12329
Subject(s) - warrant , immigration , ethnic group , identification (biology) , identity (music) , policy development , sociology , research policy , dual (grammatical number) , political science , social psychology , positive economics , psychology , public administration , law , economics , art , botany , physics , literature , acoustics , financial economics , biology
Immigrants and their descendants typically identify with ethnic, national, religious, and/or regional groups, in various combinations and with varying degrees of compatibility or conflict. Research and theorizing on these patterns of identification, as represented in this issue, suggest guideposts for future research and domains for policy development. Here, we identify some of the issues that warrant additional research and we consider implications of existing research on dual (or multiple) identification for the development and implementation of policies related to immigrants. Examples of the former include the need for careful specification of concepts, the consideration of multiple dimensions of identity, deeper examination of identity meanings, methodological extensions in time and space, and greater theoretical integration. Policy development will require greater attention to various identity combinations, advocacy for national inclusivity, the promotion of sites for positive intergroup contact, and maximizing the potential for immigrants with multiple identities to help bridge intergroup gaps.