Newcomers in a nontraditional receiving community: Korean immigrant adaptation strategies in the American deep south

Abstract

This ethnographic case study considers the role of the church in the lives of Korean immigrants in a small town in the southeastern United States. Drawn to a poultry processing plant by the promise of permanent residency, hundreds of middle class Koreans have cycled through one-year commitments at Claxton Poultry since 2005. We analyze the benefits and pitfalls of adaptation strategies developed by the Korean immigrants and how their social networks both help and hinder their livelihood in a nontraditional receiving locale. Results indicate that while membership at a prominent religious congregation does offer Korean immigrants bonding networks amongst themselves, it does not equate to bridging networks with the native population. Considering the high percentage of recent Korean immigrants to the United States who attend church services, the findings of this study contribute new information to the literature on acculturation and adaptation processes.