Ethnic identity among Japanese-Canadians in Edmonton: The case of pre-World War II immigrants and their descendants

This thesis explores and describes the pattern of ethnic identity of Japanese Canadians in the greater Edmonton area who, or whose ancestors, immigrated to Canada before World War II, and explains their ethnic identity in terms of socio-economic status. A self-administered mail questionnaire survey was conducted in the summer of 1988 acquiring a sample of Japanese Canadians.;Previous studies showed conflicting views on the relationship between socio-economic status and ethnic identity--the assimilationist and the pluralist, but this relationship is better explained by recognizing various aspects of ethnic identity and the historical and social context where one's socio-economic status and ethnic identity are placed and form their meanings.;Japanese Canadians are members of a small visible minority in Canada, which holds a limited but prevailing egalitarian principle of individual meritocracy in the material order and cultural pluralism in the non-material order. It was hypothesized that among Japanese Canadians in the greater Edmonton area: (1) Individuals with higher socio-economic status would have lower ethnic identity in maintenance of primary contacts and cultural maintenance than individuals with lower socio-economic status. (2) Individuals with higher socio-economic status would have higher ethnic identity in ethnic self-identification and association and group rights than individuals with lower socio-economic status.;The initial analysis revealed an overall low level of ethnic identity. In spite of high levels of knowledge and interest, respondents indicated low levels of involvement. Many indicated passive attitudes despite their positive Japanese identity. The hypotheses on the relationships between socio-economic status and aspects of ethnic identity were generally supported with some exceptions. Most prominently, interest and involvement in Japanese culture such as arts, sports, and language were related to socio-economic status positively.;For the secondary analysis indices were constructed. Supra cultural identity and salience of ethnic identity had substantial positive relationships to socio-economic status. A disposition for redress and community participation related less strongly to socio-economic status. A further analysis showed that community participation and redress appeared to exist in separate realms. This suggests lack of political perspective among Japanese Canadians either because of middle-class cultural concern or because of low ethnic status.