CULTIVATING COHESION: BRINGING IMMIGRANTS AND CITIZENS TOGETHER THROUGH NATIONAL SERVICE

Over the last decade, anti-immigrant sentiment has steadily increased in mainstream public and political discourse, the news, and on social media in the United States, causing deep political polarization among U.S. citizens and ostracization of certain immigrant groups. This thesis explores how the United States can use national service to strengthen cohesion between citizens and immigrants. Following a comparative analysis of one international and two domestic national service programs, this thesis finds that national service by itself does not necessarily bring diverse people together and cultivate close relationships or comradery; the program must have relevant and measurable objectives to be sustainable; and the program must be large scale to make lasting impact and change across a nation, and thus likely needs to be mandatory. Based on these findings, this thesis recommends that policy makers who wish to create a national service program that aims to strengthen cohesion between citizens and immigrants incorporate each of the following six elements: 1) commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging, 2) measurable objectives, 3) parameterized participant selection for group formation, 4) program-provided group housing, transportation, and a food stipend, 5) near-peer mentor for every participant group, and 6) scale.

Department dc:contributor.department

National Security Affairs (CHDS)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Lam, Hannah E.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Matei, Cristiana
• Strindberg, Anders

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/71014

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/71014