Married migrant women living within Korean multicultural families:A

258 Pages·2014·8.1 MB·English

Married migrant women living within Korean
multicultural families: A pastoral narrative perspective

By
Chang Young Lee

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the
Requirements for the degree

PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR

IN THE
FACULTY OF THEOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICAL THEOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

Supervisor
Professor J C Müller

April 2014
© University of Pretoria
ABSTRACT

This research seeks to adopt a post-foundationalist practical theology paradigm, as
discussed by J C Müller, in order to create a bridge between the three concepts of the
pastoral care perspective, the narrative perspective based on social-constructionism
and post-foundationalism. Furthermore, I made use of Müller’s seven movements of
methodology which laid a strong foundation to base my research on regarding
married migrant women living within Korean multicultural families.

Korean society which is a homogeneous culture is currently facing many challenges
as a result of becoming more and more multicultural. These multicultural issues are
becoming major social and political issues in South Korea. The main reason that
South Korean society has become more multicultural is because of intercultural
marriages which have also resulted in an increase in multicultural families.

These migrant women are faced with many kinds of discrimination and prejudice as
a result of their different appearance, culture and language. Furthermore, Korean
culture often deprives women of having any position above men especially once they
are married. After being married a woman should become invisible, voiceless, and
nameless in order to become culturally acceptable. This often results in a migrant
woman feeling stressed, fearful, isolated and alone which often results in the
development of a low self-esteem, a lack of self-confidence and a low self-image.

In my research, I sought to listen to and identify the stories of migrant women,
namely foreign women who have married Korean men with a focus on the impact on
their identities within a Korean multicultural family through a narrative perspective
in order to have a positive growth and outcome from their intercultural differences
within South Korea. I decided to view my co-researchers not as co-researchers but as
companions on a journey which we could undertake together. The use of the
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metaphors ‘journey’ and ‘companions’ seemed to give my companions the freedom
to speak more openly and placed us on an equal level.

Furthermore, I not only discovered my companions’ identities through their own
stories, but also developed my companions’ true identities/multi-identities through
the broader, inter-relational stories of other people within multicultural communities
through a six step process of Listening to the voice, Gaining voice, Giving voice,
Finding alternative voice, Retelling voice and Creating future voice. I made use of
the narrative approach in order to listen to my companions so that a unity would exist
between their past, present and future stories. As I listened to the stories of my
companions from a narrative perspective new possibilities were opened which lead to
alternative and future stories. Furthermore, my companions were given the
opportunity to find themselves and make new identities on the real journey of life.
Through the process of my research I also developed a multicultural identity model
specifically for married migrant women in South Korea, but ultimately the purpose
of my research was not to show or develop a multicultural identity model regarding
migrant women, but was more to help these migrant women find their identities
themselves and in this become self-empowered to become contributors to Korean
society.

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Key Terms

1. Narrative Research
2. Social-constructionism
3. Post-foundationalism
4. Practical Theology
5. Journey of life and Companion
6. The Multicultural Family
7. The Multicultural Narrative Counselling Model (The Multi/CNC Model)
8. The Multicultural Narrative Identity Development Model (The Multi/CNID
Model)
9. Empowering
10. Discourse/Traditions of Interpretation

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I acknowledge and thank God for His grace, strength and encouragement which
enabled me to complete my research to the best of my ability. I am also thankful to
everyone who helped make this dissertation a reality; in particular I would like to
thank the following;

Professor J C Müller, who as my supervisor and mentor, patiently guided me through
this research. A special thank you to him for his wisdom, advice and encouragement.

In particular to my companions, I really thank you for your openness, co-operation
and for sharing your stories with me.

To my assistant, Cameron and all those who gave your invaluable input with regard
to interdisciplinary work, thank you for your time and hard work.

To the Olieven Sheep Gate Church and ABBA Bible School who in many ways
inspired me to do this research, thank you for the experience gained through working
in a multicultural environment.

To my parents, parent-in-law, uncle and my sisters’ families who have supported me
while I study in South Africa as well as to my sister Sun hee and her husband Ulrich,
without your love and generosity which you have shown me and my family this
research wouldn’t have been possible. I could never thank you enough.

A final word of gratitude has to be reserved for my wife, JungHwa Kim for her love,
endurance and support and to my lovely daughters, JuHa and JuYun Lee, without
your understanding and support I wouldn’t have been able to complete this research.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT Ⅰ
KEY TERMS Ⅳ
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ⅴ
TABLE OF FIGURES Ⅻ

CHAPTER 1: PLANNING FOR THE JOURNEY 1

1.1 PROLOGUE TO THE JOURNEY 1
1.2 THE CHOSEN PLACE OF THE JOURNEY 3
1.3 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONTEXT AND MY STORY 5
1.4 UNDERSTANDING THE JOURNEY 6
1.4.1 Understanding a South Korean traditional family 7
1.4.2 Understanding the Multicultural paradigm 9
1.4.3 Understanding Korean Multicultural Family 9
1.4.3.1 A definition of a Korean Multicultural Family 9
1.4.3.2 The present state of multicultural families 10
1.4.4 Understanding migrant women in South Korea 13
1.4.4.1 Understanding prejudices against migrant women in South
Korea 14
1.4.4.2 The reality of migrant women in South Korea 15
1.4.4.3 The state of migrant women’s voices in South Korea 16
1.5 RESEARCH GAP WITHIN EXISTING RESEARCH 17
1.5.1 The Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model(The R/CID Model)
18
1.5.2 Berry’s acculturation theory 19
1.5.3 A new approach proposed from a narrative perspective 22
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1.6 SUMMARY 24

CHAPTER 2: PREPARING FOR THE JOURNEY 26

2.1 INTRODUCTION 26
2.2 RESEARCH POSITIONING 27
2.2.1 Research Epistemology 27
2.2.1.1 Practical theology as a communication room on the journey
27
2.2.1.2 A pastoral care perspective theoretical foundation 32
2.2.1.2.1 Pastoral care as a narrative hermeneutical model
by Gerkin 32
2.2.1.2.2 Pastoral care for women by Neuger 34
2.2.1.2.3 General pastoral care attitude as a pastor 37
2.2.1.3 A Narrative perspective based on Social-constructionism 39
2.2.1.3.1 A Narrative perspective 39
2.2.1.3.2 Social-constructionism 41
2.2.1.3.3 Identity through a narrative perspective and social-
constructionism 44
2.2.1.4 Post-foundationalism - Interdisciplinary work 45
2.2.1.4.1 Foundationalism – Universal rationality 45
2.2.1.4.2 Non-foundationalism – Relativistic rationality 47
2.2.1.4.3 Post-foundationalism – Transversal rationality 49
2.2.1.5 Post-foundationalist Practical Theology as a bridge 53
2.2.2 Research Methodology 56
2.2.2.1 Seven movements 56
2.2.2.2 The aim of the research 58
2.3 RESEARCH METHODS 59
2.3.1 Qualitative Interviews 59
2.3.2 Narrative Research 60
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2.3.3 Narrative Research Methods 61
2.3.3.1 Stranger position (Not-Knowing Position) 61
2.3.3.2 Externalisation 63
2.3.3.3 Deconstruction 63
2.3.3.4 Re-membering Conversation 64
2.3.3.5 Dominant story and Unique Outcome 65
2.3.3.6 Thin and Thick Description 65
2.3.4 Inter-cultural Conversation 66
2.3.5 Literature study 67
2.3.6 Theological reflection team 67
2.3.7 Whose ethical guidelines? 68
2.4 RESEARCH OUTLINE 69
2.5 SUMMARY 70

CHAPTER 3: STARTING THE JOURNEY 72

3.1 INTRODUCTION 72
3.2 WHO AM I AS A RESEARCHER/COMPANION? 72
3.3 WHO WILL ACCOMPANY ME ON THIS JOURNEY? 73
3.4 A SPACE FOR COMMUNICATION ON THE JOURNEY 75
3.5 WHY ARE THE VOICES OF THE COMPANIONS SO IMPORTANT? 77
3.6 INTERPRETATION OF EXPERIENCES IN COLLABORATION WITH
“COMPANIONS” 78
3.6.1 A six step process to listening to the interpretation of experiences of the
companions 78
3.6.1.1 Listening to the Voices through the now and background
stories 80
3.6.1.2 Giving Voice through cultural voice, outside voice and
personal-inner voice 81
3.6.1.3 Gaining Voice through exploring the effects of the problematic,
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deconstructing and externalising voice 85
3.6.1.4 Finding Alternative Voice through finding unique outcomes,
empowering voice and re-membering conversation 88
3.6.1.5 Retelling/Refinding Voice through repositioning/ reclaiming
and religious/spiritual voice 91
3.6.1.6 Creating Future Voice through the power of imagination, re-
authoring and re-writing story 94
3.6.2 Recurring feedback loops in collaboration with companions 96
3.6.2.1 Lay it all on the table 96
3.6.2.2 Curiosity and Patience 97
3.6.2.3 Active and Attentive listening 97
3.6.2.4 From CSE conversation to Interpathy conversation 99
3.6.2.5 A not-knowing Position 102
3.6.2.6 Diversity and Discrimination 102
3.6.2.7 Cultural shock 104
3.7 SUMMARY 105

CHAPTER 4: THE ADVENTURE OF THE FIRST JOURNEY 106

4.1 INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH PROCESSING 106
4.2 LISTENING TO THE VOICES THROUGH THE NOW AND
BACKGROUND STORIES OF MY FIRST COMPANION 106
4.2.1 Introducing my first companion 106
4.2.1.1 Understanding Koreans in China(Joseonjok) 107
4.2.2.2 First companion’s now and background story 108
4.2.2 Reflection on first companion’s voice 109
4.3 GIVING VOICE TO THE TRADITIONS OF INTERPRETATION 111
4.3.1 Cultural voice 111
- Korean culture and prejudices against foreigners.
- The Korean people hate me because I am Chinese and a communist.
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- Why have you brought a Chinese woman into our family?
4.3.2 Outside voices 117
- A Chinese wife will leave her family abandoning her children and so
on.
4.3.3 Personal-inner voice 119
- I am a new 0 0 0(companion’s name)
4.4 GAINING VOICE IN THE TRADITIONS OF INTERPRETATION 123
4.4.1 Exploring the effects of the problematic voice 123
- Loneliness
- The transfer of prejudice to the next generation
4.4.2 Deconstructing voice 126
- Loneliness connected with prejudices
- Giving voice to prejudice and finding her own voice
4.4.3 Externalising voice 131
- “Unsolved matter”
4.5 FINDING ALTERNATIVE VOICE THROUGH FINDING UNIQUE
OUTCOMES AND EMPOWERING/RE-MEMBERING CONVERSATION 133
4.5.1 Finding the unique outcome voice 133
- Music tape - an unique outcome
4.5.2 Empowering voice/ Re-membering voice 135
- Self-esteem
4.6 RETELLING/ REFINDING VOICE THROUGH REPOSITIONING/
RECLAIMING AND RELIGIOUS/SPIRITURAL VOICE 137
4.6.1 Repositioning/Reclaiming voice 137
- They will come to understand me.
4.7 REFLECTION ON THE ADVENTURE OF THE FIRST JOURNEY 140
4.8 SUMMARY 141

CHAPTER 5: THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND JOURNEY WITH MY
TWO COMPANIONS 14 3
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