Immigration, social infrastructure and relationship formation
Project Lead(s)
Team Members
Gabrielle Abando (external link) , Frankie Cabahug, Suzanne Huot, Capri Ka Po Kong (external link)
Sub-theme
Placemaking and relationship formation
Through studying and redesigning public spaces and social infrastructure, the sub-theme 'Placemaking and relationship formation' will enhance our understanding of building better places that foster friendship and relationship within communities, as well as between Indigenous people and the newcomer population.
Objective
Friendships are integral to immigrant experiences, and there is more complexity in friendship than in traditional assimilation approaches. Deepening our understanding of friendship formation processes will contribute to a complex understanding of social integration.
This study will explore how relationships formed through an effective use of public spaces and social infrastructure and their impact on social integration.
Research question(s)
- How do mediated processes within social infrastructures contribute to immigrant friendship formation and integration?
- How do place-based community organizations structure interactions that may lead to relationship formation?
- How do participants at place-based community organizations tell their own stories of connection and friendship?
Methodology
The research design adopts a comparative case study approach informed by community-engaged research practices. It employs mixed methods, including in-depth interviews, digital storytelling, and longitudinal qualitative research.
Status
The project is active and currently in progress.
Expected completion date: September 2026
Key words
Belonging; community; friendship; migrant integration; social infrastructure
