Search

Increasingly people, including academics, tend to conceive of the world as based on essentialised ethnic or cultural categories. Thus, research on the second generation often takes for granted that this population has a bicultural identity. In this paper, I define the concept of identity as the subjectively constructed set of groups of belonging which the individual considers to be most important to and most characteristic of his/her Self. I then attempt to determine whether or not second-generation youth feel a strong attachment toward the ethnic origin of their immigrant parent(s). The paper relies on in-depth interviews conducted in Quebec and Montreal with 28 youth (18 to 25 years of age), who were born in Quebec and who have at least one immigrant parent. Respondents were mainly identified through birth registries, thus avoiding the use of self-identification for recruitment. Results show great variety in the identities chosen by second-generation youth. Relatively few identify with their immigrant parent(s)' ethnic origin. Those who do have diverse representations of these groups, which are nonetheless generally cultural or ethnocultural in content. This form of identification with cultural or ethnocultural groups is shown to be compatible with a civic allegiance to Canada or Quebec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an organizational analysis of the immigration and ethnic diversity debate as articulated by the Quebec government through its ministère de l'Immigration. Both structural and discursive transformations of the ministry are examined, and the two are set in the larger socio-political context of the times. The ministry mandated to regulate matters of immigration in Quebec has undergone a number of transformations throughout the thirty-four years of its history, from the ministère de l'Immigration du Québec (MIQ:1968-1981) to the ministère des Communautés culturelles et de l'Immigration (MCCI:1981-1993), to the ministère des Affaires internationales, de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MAIICC' 19931996) and finally, to the ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration (MRCI:1996-). Both nominal and structural changes have marked these transformations. The thesis of this paper is that Quebec's ambivalence to immigration and diversity is reflected in, and symbolized by, the various transformations of its ministry. The paper examines the linguistic and structural nature of the changes, outlines the major issues of Quebec's immigration debate, and briefly compares the historical trajectory of Canada and Quebec's official visions of pluralism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the Latin American population in Canada based on data extracted from the 2011 census and from a survey conducted in 2013 with an oversample of Latin American immigrants, as well as from other sources. It deals with the ways in which Latin Americans are categorized and how they self-identify in Canada--with the U.S. reality as a point of reference--and with a focus on Latin Americans' cultural attitudes and values in a Québec-rest of Canada comparative perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last thirty years, Quebec, through immigration, has experienced the emergence of an increasing presence of ethnic minorities. This paper has two objectives. The first is to document historically the evolution of ethnic diversity brought about by a century of immigration. The second part attempts to answer the question, "How has ethnic diversity produced a "third force," thus provoking a redefinition of "Who is Québécois." Indeed, Quebec ethnic-based nationalism is becoming questionable in the face of increasing pluralism. Ethnic diversity is propelling both Quebec society and its polity toward a more civic-based nationalism.(n1) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]