The Sojourner experience: An exploration of identity transformation through communication

<p>This exploratory research focuses on the relationship between communication and identity transformation in the sojourner experience. It inquires the following: RQ1: How does communication affect the identity transformation process of sojourners? RQ2: How does identity transformation affect the way sojourners communicate? Ten participants from six countries were interviewed in a forty (40) minute interview session. A qualitative methodology with an open-minded exploratory approach using semi-structured questions to guide the interview was employed. A grounded-in-data coding and Owen’s criteria for identifying themes (Owen, 1984) was used to identify emerging themes and overlapping narratives. The study revealed five themes from the “living abroad” experience: changing the way I talk, interacting with the host culture, meeting new people, the college experience, the self; and five themes from the “at-home” experience: I am more, is this home? people at home, at work, and where do I fit in to answer RQ1 and RQ2, respectively.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication, Media and Theatre Arts

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Biwa, Valerie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dennis P. O'Grady
• Nick Romerhausen
• Tsai-Shan Shen

• DNA Sequence
• Genomic sequencing
• Next Generation Sequencing
• PCR duplications
• Personalized Medicine
• Polyclonal formation
• Arts and Humanities
• Theatre and Performance Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/794

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2173