Where do you come from? Navigating identity formation in Canadian Western African youth in Alberta
Abstract
Canadian research still tends to group
people of African descent as Black without considering the difference in their countries of
origins, socio-economic background, values and cultural context. This study examines the experiences of eight second generation youth of
Western African descent in two major cities in Alberta as they navigate the identity formation
process. Factors that influence their adoption of an identity, and the characteristics and
importance of their adopted identity were also investigated. Narratives were gathered through interviews with the youth in Edmonton and Calgary. Experiences that contributed towards their adoption of their identity include parental influence, interaction with members of the Canadian society, and socializing with members of their parent’s cultural community. However, their adopted identities were not static, but fluid in nature leading to a hybridity in their identification. The study also includes implications of the results from the research study for immigrant parents, educators, policy makers, service providers, as well as recommendations for the future research.
Notes
Community organizations: n/a
Integration timeline:
Key populations: second generation Western African youth living in Edmonton or Calgary
Key recommendations:
Socialize second generation children/youth into the cultural communities of their parents, alongside their Canadian socialization.
Create culturally responsive classrooms with positive representation of African people for children/youth growing up in the Canadian school system.
Implement anti-racist policies at the systemic level.
Open access: No
Future research / gaps identified:
Continue to identify the specific backgrounds of research participants, rather than categorizing them as just ‘Black’ to allow for more nuanced analyses.
Key findings:
The youths’ identity formation was rooted in:
Parental influence and ethnic identity
Societal context (e.g. stereotypes, racism, socialization)
Navigating the space in between being both West African and a second generation immigrant in Canada
Locations:
Edmonton
Calgary