Intergenerational Consequences of Lifestyle Migration: German-speaking Immigrants in New Zealand

273 Pages·2017·4.86 MB·English

by  Irmengard K. Wohlfart (auth.)

Irmengard K. Wohlfart
Intergenerational
Consequences of
Lifestyle Migration
German-speaking Immigrants
in New Zealand
Intergenerational Consequences of Lifestyle
Migration
Irmengard K. Wohlfart
Intergenerational
Consequences of Lifestyle
Migration
German-speaking Immigrants
in New Zealand
123
Irmengard K.Wohlfart
Schoolof LanguageandCulture
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland
NewZealand
ISBN978-981-10-3258-5 ISBN978-981-10-3260-8 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-3260-8
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2016958718
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Foreword
It is indeed a pleasure to write the foreword to this most valuable study on the
intergenerational consequences of lifestyle migration among German-speaking
immigrants in New Zealand. This is an original contribution to research in a field
which has been relatively neglected. German speakers were the second largest
immigrantgrouptosettleinNewZealandinthenineteenthcenturyaftertheBritish
and research has highlighted their contribution to New Zealand society. However,
notsomuchworkhasbeendoneonGerman-speakingimmigrantsinNewZealand
over the last few decades, though the impact of contemporary German, Austrian,
andSwissmigrationhasbeenconsiderable.Inparticular,verylittlehasbeenwritten
on how German immigrants have acclimatized themselves to life in New Zealand,
andhowthesecondandthirdgenerationsfeelaboutthecountrywhichtheirparents
and grandparents adopted. Irmengard Wohlfart’s analysis of the multigenerational
consequences of permanent immigration from German-speaking Europe, and par-
ticularlyGermanlanguagemaintenanceandshifttoEnglishacrossthegenerations,
nicely complements the work done by Helen Baumer, who examinedthe retention
of the German language over three generations of German-speaking Swissin New
Zealand inherstudyOne-wayTickettoNewZealand:SwissImmigration afterthe
Second World War (Frankfurt, 2003). Irmengard Wohlfart’s findings are of great
interest, particularly with regard to the role which environmental factors played in
theimmigrants’decisiontoemigratetoNewZealand,herparticipantsemphasizing
that they were seeking an “environmentally cleaner and safer home to regain the
agency they lost in their perceived exposure to negative environmental factors in
Europe,” though it must be added that the environmental realities once they had
lived in New Zealand for a while differed from their initial impressions when first
visiting the country. It is also notable that Wohlfart has pinpointed an increasing
trendforGermanemigrationtoNewZealand,particularlyamongthosewith“above
averageeducationallevelsintheirlatetwentiesandearlythirties.”Wohlfart’smain
contributioninthisstudyishowever,herdetailednavigationoftheconsequencesof
immigrationforGerman-speakingimmigrantfamiliesinNewZealandacrossthree
generations. Wohlfart’s analysis confirms that by the third generation the families’
v
vi Foreword
assimilation from the immigrants’ original language and culture to the mainstream
New Zealand culture was complete, with the most decisive cultural turns taking
place in thesecond generation.I amsure that suchfindings would besupportedin
similar communities throughout the world. I congratulate Irmengard Wohlfart on
her detailed and thorough research and commend her analysis to all readers who
have an interest in German-speaking diaspora throughout the world.
Auckland James N. Bade
April 2016 Professor Emeritus of German
Director Research Centre for Germanic
Connections with New Zealand and the Pacific
University of Auckland
Preface
This book is the product of a four-year research project into the consequence of
German speakers’ migration to New Zealand across three generations. The study
involved a total of 352 participants. It also turned into my very own
Verarbeitungsdiskurs.Thatis,exploringandwritingabouttheexperiencesofother
German-speaking immigrants and their families helped me come to terms with
certain consequences of my own migration to New Zealand.
The study adds precious insights into contemporary lifestyle migration. It is of
interest for scholars in New Zealand and in Germany; and it should inform insti-
tutions involved with immigration in New Zealand and other immigrant-receiving
destinations. Those intending to migrate will also appreciate learning about
post-migration realities from the participants’ lived experiences.
My gratitude to the participants for being such brilliant co-researchers! This
project would not have happened without your commitment. I also would like to
thank Auckland University of Technology for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award
received for this project. Special thanks go to my colleagues, reviewers, and the
editors who supported the completion of this project through discussions and
valuable feedback.
Auckland, New Zealand Irmengard K. Wohlfart
vii
Contents
Part I Engaging the Nexus of Practice
1 Introduction... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 3
1.1 Historical Migration—German-Speaking Europe
to New Zealand ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 4
1.2 Contemporary Migration from German-Speaking Europe.. .... 5
1.2.1 Tourism—Migration Connection.. .... .... ..... .... 6
1.2.2 A Statistics Puzzle. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
1.3 International Migration—Relevant Theories and Studies .. .... 9
1.3.1 Migration Theories .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 9
1.3.2 Studies of Lifestyle Migration.... .... .... ..... .... 16
1.4 Settlement Theories ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 17
1.4.1 Acculturation, Adaptation, Assimilation .... ..... .... 17
1.4.2 Integration and Assimilation . .... .... .... ..... .... 21
1.4.3 Immigrant Strategies and Tools for Integration.... .... 22
1.5 Long-Term Migration Consequences Across Generations.. .... 23
1.5.1 Learning from Past Immigration.. .... .... ..... .... 24
1.5.2 Current Views of Migration Consequences Across
Generations. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 25
1.5.3 Immigrant Generations, Belonging and Identity ... .... 25
1.5.4 Incorporation Pathways Across Generations . ..... .... 27
1.6 Language .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 28
1.7 Research Gap. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 32
1.8 Research Questions. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 32
1.9 Study Aims and Rationale .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 33
1.10 Summary and Outline of the Book.. .... .... .... ..... .... 34
2 Methodology .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 35
2.1 Positioning the Researcher .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 35
2.2 Ethics Considerations.... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 37
ix
x Contents
2.3 Nexus Analysis—Research Principles.... .... .... ..... .... 39
2.3.1 Mediated Action .. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 40
2.3.2 Mediational Means/Cultural Tools. .... .... ..... .... 41
2.3.3 Site of Engagement.... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 41
2.3.4 Practices ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 41
2.3.5 Nexus of Practice . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 42
2.4 Method—Procedural Steps in Nexus Analysis . .... ..... .... 43
2.4.1 Engaging the Nexus of Practice .. .... .... ..... .... 44
2.4.2 Navigating the Nexus of Practice . .... .... ..... .... 44
2.4.3 Changing the Nexus of Practice .. .... .... ..... .... 51
2.5 Engaging the Nexus/Preparatory Steps... .... .... ..... .... 51
2.5.1 Participant Recruitment and Characteristics.. ..... .... 52
2.5.2 Data and Timeline of My Study .. .... .... ..... .... 56
2.5.3 Data Transcription. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 57
2.6 Navigating the Nexus/Study Proper . .... .... .... ..... .... 57
2.7 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 58
3 Discourses in Place . .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 61
3.1 Discourses in Place Linked to Emigration—Push Factors.. .... 61
3.1.1 Cold War .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 63
3.1.2 Nuclear Pollution . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 65
3.1.3 Weather and Climate... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 67
3.1.4 Agricultural Pesticides.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 68
3.1.5 General Umweltvergiftung... .... .... .... ..... .... 69
3.1.6 European Political Changes During the 1980s
and Early 1990s .. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 71
3.2 Discourses Linked to Immigration to New Zealand . ..... .... 71
3.3 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 73
Part II Navigating the Nexus of Practice
4 Pilot Study.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 77
4.1 The Follower Generation . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 78
4.2 Living the “Good Life”—Midlife Migrants ... .... ..... .... 79
4.3 Exploring the Nexuses in the Pilot Study. .... .... ..... .... 83
4.3.1 Claudia—The Nexuses . .... .... .... .... ..... .... 84
4.3.2 Gangolf and Hanni—The Nexuses .... .... ..... .... 92
4.3.3 Pilot Study—Comparison of Immigration
Consequences .... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 106
4.4 Reflection and Implications for Main Study... .... ..... .... 108
5 G1—Lifestyle Migrants.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 109
5.1 Motives and Keys to Long-Term Residence... .... ..... .... 109
5.1.1 Motives—Push Factors. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 110
5.1.2 Migration Motives—Pull Factors . .... .... ..... .... 111
Contents xi
5.1.3 Keys to Staying in New Zealand.. .... .... ..... .... 112
5.2 Settlement.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 112
5.2.1 Settlement Experiences—Dreams and Realities.... .... 114
5.2.2 Settlement Experiences—Human and Social Capital.... 118
5.2.3 Settlement Experiences—Social Acceptance
and Integration ... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 123
5.3 Beyond Settlement—New Zealand Heimat.... .... ..... .... 126
5.3.1 Heimat New Zealand—Ties to Land and People... .... 126
5.3.2 Heimat New Zealand—G1 Languages . .... ..... .... 128
5.3.3 Heimat New Zealand—G1 Cultural Practices..... .... 132
5.3.4 Heimat New Zealand—Material Cultural Tools ... .... 137
5.3.5 Concepts Transformed into Cultural Tools
and Practices..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 138
5.3.6 Heimat New Zealand—Paradise? . .... .... ..... .... 140
5.4 Summary of G1 Stories .. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 147
6 G2—The Lifestyle Migrants’ Children .. .... .... .... ..... .... 149
6.1 Migration Experiences—G2 Born Overseas ... .... ..... .... 149
6.2 Heimat Creation—Overseas-Born G2.... .... .... ..... .... 150
6.2.1 G2 Adolescents’ Settlement . .... .... .... ..... .... 152
6.2.2 G2 Adults’ Settlement.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 154
6.2.3 G2—Place Attachment . .... .... .... .... ..... .... 156
6.3 Language—G2.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 164
6.3.1 G2—German and English Language—Settlement.. .... 164
6.3.2 G2—Language Attitudes, Use, and Identifications
Over Time.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 166
6.4 Summary—G2 Stories ... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 172
7 G3—The Lifestyle Migrants’ Grandchildren.. .... .... ..... .... 173
7.1 Historical Bodies .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 173
7.1.1 Language—Learning and Usage.. .... .... ..... .... 174
7.1.2 G3—Language and Interaction Domains.... ..... .... 175
7.1.3 Place Attachment . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 183
7.1.4 Security.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 187
7.2 Societal Discourses impacting G3 Heimat creation.. ..... .... 187
7.3 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 188
8 Synthesis Across the Generations... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 189
8.1 Consequences of Migration Over Time Within G1.. ..... .... 190
8.2 Key Consequences of Migration Over Time Within G2... .... 191
8.3 Key Consequences of Grandparents’ Migration
Within G3 Over Time.... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 192
8.4 Migration Consequences: Key Changes Across Three
Generations... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 192
8.4.1 Survey—Changes Across Three Generations. ..... .... 193