Immigrant Ambivalence Toward the Homeland: The Case of Iraqis in Helsinki and Rome

Abstract

This article seeks to contribute to our understanding of the social psychology of migrants by introducing the idea of ambivalence as a central feature of the migration experience. Building on the contribution of Neil Smelser, we follow his lead in linking the idea of ambivalence to Albert Hirschman's treatment of exit, loyalty, and voice. The data utilized herein derive from a larger study of Iraqi immigrants in Helsinki and Rome. We make use of 48 open-ended interviews, half conducted in each city. Our focus is on the ambivalence of immigrants toward their country of origin. We find evidence that ambivalence is common and the reactions to it vary along the lines suggested by Hirschman.

KEYWORDS:

• Ambivalence
• assimilation
• exit
• loyalty
• memory
• refugees
• transnationalism
• voice

Acknowledgments

This research was part of a larger project titled “Transnational and Local: The Social Integration of Immigrant Communities”, funded by the Academy of Finland as grant number 131720.