Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Immigration, Employment Opportunities, And Criminal Behavior, Matthew Freedman, Emily Owens, Sarah Bohn

Matthew Freedman

East Indian Families Raising Abcd Adolescents: Cultural And Generational Challenges, Shruti S. Poulsen

Shruti Poulsen

Immigration is a process fraught with both challenges and opportunities for families. In particular, East Indian families with U.S.-born adolescents experience the challenges of bridging cultures across generational divides; they are perceived by others as confused, identity less, and conflicted or as American-Born, Confused Desis (ABCDs). This article explores the history of East Indian immigration to the United States, the cultural values and belief systems of these parents and adolescents, and some clinical and research implications for developing a richer and more complex understanding of this group.

Immigration As A Dynamic Experience: Personal Narratives And Clinical Implications For Family Therapists, Shruti Poulsen, Nithyakala Karuppaswamy, Rajeswari Natrajan

Shruti Poulsen

This is a reflective account of the experiences of the authors who immigrated to the United States from India at different developmental, historical, political, and social stages. Although their culture-of-origin was the same, the meaning and experience of immigration was different for each author. The narratives show a natural continuum of experiences based on their developmental stage during immigration, reasons for immigration, and the historical context of both India and the US at the time of immigration. A common theme is the ambivalence experienced by them in their process of creating a physical and psychological home in a different culture.