Cultural Identities in Transition - (Language, Education and Diversity) by Esra Yaghi & Roger Barnard (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book explores the social, educational and linguistic acculturation of a group of Saudi wives and mothers sojourning in New Zealand while their husbands undertook full time study. The book explores their background, the challenges they faced and the changes they made during their sojourn, and their preparation for returning home post-sojourn.

Book Synopsis

This book explores the social, educational and linguistic acculturation of a group of Saudi wives and mothers sojourning in New Zealand while their husbands undertook full time study. The book explores their background, the challenges they faced and the changes they made during their sojourn, and their preparation for returning home post-sojourn.

Review Quotes

This brilliant work uniquely examines how Saudi Arabian mothers adapted to their new cultural environment in New Zealand through a community of social practice. The book provides excellent insights into the difficult task of acculturation that most immigrants experience in terms of identity adjustments, especially for parenting and children's education in a new country.

An essential read for understanding the unique experiences of Saudi international families, this book sheds light on the often-overlooked journeys of Saudis in New Zealand and beyond. A compelling exploration of acculturation and daily life, it addresses a much-needed perspective in the field. Highly recommended.

Yaghi and Barnard offer a unique and valuable perspective on acculturation processes by focusing on the experiences of Saudi women living in New Zealand and providing insights into the challenges and opportunities encountered among this demographic. Through rich narratives, this book makes a timely contribution to our understanding of identity (re)negotiation and its role in social and linguistic acculturation.

About the Author

Esra Yaghi is an English Language Developer at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Her research interests include issues in ethical research and second culture identity.

Roger Barnard is a recently retired Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. His research interests include second language education and language policy. His most recent book is Narratives of Qualitative PhD Research: Identities, Languages and Cultures in Transition (co-edited with L. Gurney and Y. Wang, Routledge, 2023).