From Integration to Marginalization: A Gendered Application of John Berry's Acculturation Theory in Female Narratives of 'The Good Immigrant (UK Edition)'

Migration extends beyond geographic relocation, presenting profound challenges to identity, belonging, and cultural adaptation. Central to understanding these challenges, migration literature examines how emotional and social experiences intersect with the host society's culture. A key example is Shukla's The Good Immigrant (۲۰۱۶), a collection of insightful essays by Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) writers exploring the complexities of immigrants' lives in postcolonial Britain. This study analyzes the personal narratives of five female authors-Chimene Suleyman, Reni Eddo-Lodge, Sarah Sahim, Vera Chok, and Coco Khan-using Berry's (۱۹۹۷) acculturation theory to examine their experiences through the lens of cultural integration. Employing qualitative narrative analysis with deductive coding, it explores how these authors navigate separation and integration strategies in British society, confronting gender discrimination, racial biases, and restrictive societal expectations. Findings reveal that they maintain cultural heritage through practices like Suleyman's defense of Turkish naming, Eddo-Lodge's reclamation of Nigerian hair aesthetics, Sahim's rejection of casteism, Chok's sensory nostalgia for Malaysia, and Khan's linguistic preservation through Urdu, forging hybrid identities that resist full assimilation. These strategies reflect resilience against dominant norms, revealing the complex, non-linear nature of cultural adaptation shaped by gender, race, and agency. This research highlights the intersection of gender, race, and acculturation, contributing to migration literature by illuminating female immigrants' resilience.

کلیدواژه ها:

acculturation ، female narratives ، cultural integration ، diaspora ، The Good Immigrant ، postcolonial Britain