“No, Where Are You Really From?”: How Children of Immigrants Navigate Their Bicultural Identities

Abstract

Children of immigrants who are either born in the U.S. or immigrate at a young age (0-5 years) most often are deeply integrated in their ethnic culture in their homes with their families. Balancing the culture of one’s ethnic identity with the culture and values of the U.S., children of immigrants can be best described as bicultural. Based on 27 interviews with children of immigrants who are students at Princeton University, I explore three significant aspects of biculturalism that emerged from these interviews: (1) levels of language fluency, (2) experiences of cultural invalidation, (3) the intersection of race and bicultural identity. By taking on these three lenses, I offer insights into the experiences of navigating a bicultural identity that reveal children of immigrants often have a sense they must “prove” their biculturality. Examining the significance of language, ideas of cultural capital, the significance of context, and how biculturals engage with racial constructs in the U.S., my thesis serves to provide greater understanding of the nuances of the child of immigrant experience in the United States and how context plays an important role in navigating bicultural identity.