Kurdish-Canadian identity and the intricacies of acculturation

Abstract

This paper studies the process of acculturation of the Iraqi Kurdish community in Ontario, Canada. It examines factors that impact the adaptation of a dual identity, such as ethno-cultural identities and socio-cultural circumstances. The study explores components of the Kurdish participants’ ethnic and national identities, including their self-identification, sense of belonging, and participation in aspects of life. It also elaborates on the ways in which members of the Iraqi Kurdish community in Canada understand and construe their life experiences, and what it means to live as Kurdish immigrants in a multicultural society.