Home-No-Home: Academic Immigrants in the Fields of Communication

Authors

  • Dafna Lemish Rutgers University

Keywords:

alien, citizen, contribution, home, immigrants, integration, institution, otherness, scholarship

Abstract

Academic immigrants compromise a significant number of scholars from the departments of communication, media, and related disciplines. This article gives voice to some of the stories shared by 81 of them during in-depth interviews. They discuss childhood experiences that predisposed them to the possibility of immigration, and the various personal, professional, and political motivations for such a change. The sense of living a double life and a complicated relationship with the concept of home characterized many of their narratives. However, they also perceive their “otherness” as a source of strength that impacts their scholarship and makes unique contributions to our disciplines. The article concludes with advocacy for a greater appreciation of our academic immigrant colleagues’ roles and advocates for assisting them to develop a stronger sense of belonging.

Author Biography

Dafna Lemish, Rutgers University

Interim Dean and Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at the School of Communicaiton & Information at Rutgers University. dafna.lemish@rutgers.edu 848-932-7528

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Published

2022-09-13

Issue

Vol. 16 (2022)

Section

Features

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