Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Liberal Studies
Date of Award
8-2023
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Jill LeRoy-Frazier
Committee Members
Jennifer Adler, Daryl Carter
Abstract
Nigerian immigrant women undergo constant navigation of their personal identities when conflicting cultural dynamics sometimes engender a balancing act between their personal beliefs and the ongoing process of acculturation. Their new Southern environment offers its own traditional mores, as well as greater opportunities for economic advancement. This places Nigerian Immigrant Women in a position where they must reconcile their desires for personal independence and empowerment with societal expectations that emphasize more traditional gender roles. This study explores the interview narratives of Nigerian immigrant women, reinforced by fictional accounts from prolific African women writers, which provides a more nuanced discussion of the female experience within the Western Nigerian diaspora. Highlighted within this study are the ways in which these women navigate and reconcile their indigenous norms, religious beliefs, and gendered expectations with the different cultural understandings of the host diasporic spaces.
Document Type
Thesis - embargo
Recommended Citation
Adeusi, Tolulope, "Navigating Cultural Crossroads: Exploring Fictional and Interview Narratives of Nigerian Immigrant Women Living in the Southern United States" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4246. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4246
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
English Language and Literature Commons, Migration Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, Regional Sociology Commons, Religion Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, Sociology of Religion Commons, Women's Studies Commons