Impacts of diaspora travel on ethnic identity development among 1.5 generation Korean-American college students |
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Authors: | Jungeun Kim Monika Stodolska |
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Institution: | 1. Center for Busan Studies , Silla University , 140 Baegyang-daero, 700Beongil, Sasang-gu, Busan , Republic of Korea jungeunseraphina@gmail.com;3. Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 104 Huff Hall, 1206 South Fourth St., Champaign , IL , 61820 , USA |
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Abstract: | This research project was designed to explore the impacts of the most recent trip to Korea on ethnic identity development among 1.5 generation Korean-American college students. The study employed 18 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Korean-American college students at a major university in the Midwest, USA. The data collection was conducted between December 2010 and February 2011. The findings of the study revealed that Korean-American college students exhibited different levels of ethnic identity prior to their most recent trip to Korea and described themselves as either Koreans, Korean-Americans, or Americans. Travel to Korea played important roles in (re)developing their ethnic identity. Those who identified themselves as Korean prior to the trip either confirmed their ethnic identity or changed their identity to Korean-American. Those who considered themselves Korean-American retained their ethnic identity, while those who thought of themselves as American altered their identity to Korean as a result of the travel. |
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Keywords: | diaspora tourism ethnic identity development Korean-American 1 5 generation college student |
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