Acculturation and social capital of Somali Muslim women
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Meeting name
Sponsors
Date
Journal Title
Format
Thesis
Subject
Abstract
[EMBARGOED UNTIL 12/31/2026] This study examines the social capital and acculturation of 20 Somali immigrant women who participate in a community garden in a small Minnesota town. Even though some of them did not enter the U.S. as refugees, all of the women had at some point been refugees. The study examines the women's acculturation using John Berry's framework for acculturation. Field notes and phenomenological interviews were employed to acquire the interview data. The study examined the 20 Somali women's acculturation patterns and factors that facilitated the process. It also looks into the significance of the neighborhood garden in their daily lives. The ladies built up their social capital within the Somali community through a variety of support networks and initiatives to preserve Somali culture while overcoming the language barrier. The Somali community's involvement in the community gardens served as another means of maintaining strong group bonds, but many women also found delight in the process of raising their own food. Though the growing season lasted about four months at most, the gardens were an integral part of the gardeners' daily routine. The fact that the Center for Minnesota Sustainability Project supervised the community garden plots and made them accessible and simple to grow food on contributed to their well-being. The separation trend was evident in the acculturation of the women. Many of the study's participants were older women who were grandmothers. They struggled when attempting to learn English. They preferred to remain in the Somali neighborhood. Even the mothers of K-12 students desired that their kids stay in the Somali community, barring special circumstances related to their careers. Language barriers, being ejected from their homes forcibly, and being thought of as outsiders were some of the causes. The gardens, on the other hand, were a location where they felt secure enough to be by themselves. The ladies had the freedom to create and be independent while in the gardens, which gave them agency. The gardens reminded them a bit of Somalia.
Table of Contents
PubMed ID
Degree
Ph. D.