Decades of longing and effort towards a sense of community: A multiple case study on immigrants in the United States

Abstract

Objectives This exploratory study aims at investigating the effort, struggle, and inner drive of immigrants towards US citizenship and higher socio-economic status (SES). Methods This is a multiple case study with a qualitative approach. With non-probability convenience sampling, we selected five cases from the Los Angeles area for in-depth interviews. A thematic method along with the four-element framework on sense of community by McMillan & Chavis (1986) were employed for data analysis. Results Although each participant’s journey towards citizenship and higher SES is unique, the cross-case data synthesis presented a clear uniformity of deep desire and willing sacrifices for a sense of community among the participants. Conclusion While citizenship and SES can be seen as enticing rewards or even "purse strings" for which immigrants are willing to work hard, what immigrants truly long for is a sense of community. It is this longing that drives immigrants to overcome adversities and rise up to build strong communities anywhere they settle. Keywords multiple case study, sense of community, immigrants, U.S. citizenship, socio-economic status