The first topic I am very interested in is how life changes for immigrants, how it is adapting to a new culture. Also how the culture differs from theirs. My interest in this topic is because I moved to New York from Saint Vincent, and it was a complete culture shock for me.
My second topic is how immigrants are treated. Immigrants are accused of taking away jobs from Americans. Though many of the jobs that immigrants do are jobs that Americans hate and complain about doing. (Jobs like babysitting, janitors, maids, live in jobs)
My third topic is how immigrants get involved in gangs. They become Americanized and do things that they would not do back in their country. (This can also go with the first topic). Many of them are just trying to survive their neighborhoods and fit in.
Most immigrants from the Caribbean when they come to America, they want to go to school and get an education; because that is one of the most important thing to Caribbean people. Sometimes many cannot afford to go to college because it is too much money and they cannot afford it.
Article 1: Light, M. T., Miller, T., & Kelly, B. C. (2017). Undocumented Immigration, Drug Problems, and Driving Under the Influence in the United States, 1990-2014. American Journal Of Public Health, 107(9), 1448-1454. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.303884
Article 2: Ornori, M. (2016). Educated and Staying at Home: Asian Immigrant Wives’ Labor Force Participation in the U.S. Journal Of Comparative Family Studies, 47(4), 463-481.
Article 3: Blasco, J. (2017). Immigrant Families Behind Bars: Technology Setting Them Free. Vanderbilt Journal Of Entertainment & Technology Law, 19(3), 697-720.
Article 4: De La Rosa, M., Dillon, F. R., Sastre, F., & Babino, R. (2013). Alcohol Use among Recent Latino Immigrants Before and After Immigration to the United States. American Journal On Addictions, 22(2), 162-168. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.00310.x
Adapting to another country is never an easy thing to do and it’s unfortunate that the narrative around immigrants always seem to have a negative connotation. The fact that they’re taking jobs away is such a fallacy and I’m sure you will encounter lots of valuable information countering that argument. I completely agree with you that most Americans have a privileged mindset and wouldn’t take on such jobs. Good luck!
These are all important topics, Aziza! I think the challenge will be for you to narrow down to a more specific research question. It will help you to ask some questions of each topic. For example, for the first topic, you may ask yourself some of the questions I have: What do you want to know about how life changes for immigrants adapting to a new culture? Do you already have some ideas about what those changes are? Are there specific immigrant groups you want to consider as case studies in answering this question?
There is a lot of scholarship you could read on any one of your topic ideas. I think your second topic idea is especially timely. You start by talking about your own experience in moving to NYC from Saint Vincent, and towards the end, you refer to challenges that Caribbean immigrants face–maybe this is something you want to explore in topic #1 or #2?