Reclaiming the Self After Migration – A Study in Australia

In The Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, Volume 5, Issue 3 (2003), Dr. Catherine Ward and Dr. Irene Styles published the findings of a study examining the impact of migration on the identity of women who migrated from Britain and Ireland to Australia. This research explores grief reactions due to the multiple losses associated with migration (home, attachments, community, culture, etc.) and analyzes the coping strategies used by women to reconstruct their identities in a new environment.

1. Migration: A Threat to Identity and a Source of Grief

The authors argue that while some people adapt easily to new cultures, for others, migration can be a difficult process that profoundly affects identity and necessitates the reconstruction of parts of the self.

Referencing Garza-Guerrero (1974), they describe migration as involving “multiple losses” such as the loss of family, friends, language, cultural heritage, and familiar surroundings—all of which can have a negative impact on personal identity.

The article also references Freud (1917), noting that mourning is a natural response to the loss of people or abstract concepts such as homeland, liberty, or ideals. From this perspective, the loss of one’s country can evoke a form of grief often expressed as “homesickness.”

2. Bowlby’s Stages of Grieving as a Theoretical Framework

The study uses Bowlby’s four-stage model of grief (numbing; pining and yearning; disorganization and despair; and reorganization) to analyze reactions to the perceived loss of homeland.

The final stage, “reorganization,” is particularly significant, as it is during this phase that the bereaved individual may begin to develop a “new identity.”

3. Reinvention of the Self and Sense of Belonging

To deal with the challenges of migration, individuals may need to create a “new identity” to function in the new cultural context (Garza-Guerrero, 1974).

Citing Erikson (1980), the authors frame this process as a lifelong developmental response to the social environment.

Successfully navigating the emotional crisis brought on by loss can lead to the emergence of new aspects of identity.

A strong sense of “who one is” is essential, and the multiple losses of migration can trigger a “crisis of identity.”

Women who reached the final stage of grieving were able to reinvent themselves using social strategies, while those who did not experienced psychological distress.

4. Adaptation Strategies and Identity Reconstruction

The study identifies various post-migration strategies employed by participants:

• Solitary: Personal activities like writing, reading, or planning holidays
• Social: Engagement with community, children’s schools, friendships, clubs, employment, or education
• Country and Culture: Learning about the new country and Indigenous peoples through travel, reading, or watching television

Participants with a positive sense of belonging engaged more in social strategies, while those with a negative sense of belonging relied on solitary strategies. Those in a “limbo” state used both.

Migration itself can be seen as the initial step in the reinvention of the self. Motivations for migration were categorized into:

• Self
• Others
• Conditions (e.g., better opportunities, improved lifestyle)

The most frequently cited motivation was conditions.

5. Categories of Belonging

Based on interviews, five categories of belonging to Australia were identified:

• Positive: Strong commitment, satisfaction, no desire to return
• Transitional Positive: Dual identity (“I’m still English, but also Australian”)
• Limbo: Feeling disconnected from both homeland and Australia
• Transitional Negative: Trying to adapt, liking Australia, but lacking deep attachment
• Negative: Strong attachment to homeland, desire to return, no sense of belonging

The length of residency did not reliably predict a positive sense of belonging.

6. Development of a New Identity

A significant majority (87.5%) of women reported personal growth after migration, citing increased independence, confidence, and inner strength.

• Confidence: Commonly reported by those in the positive and limbo groups
• Independence: Reported across all groups—possibly as a required adaptation
• Strength: Mainly noted by those in positive and transitional positive groups

Women in the negative categories did not report increased confidence.

7. Link Between Adaptation Strategies and New Identity

Participants who experienced growth in confidence, strength, and independence engaged more in social and cultural activities.

Those in negative categories who reported increased independence and strength—but not confidence—tended to use more solitary strategies, possibly leading to social withdrawal and isolation.

Implications

This study highlights the profound psychological effects of migration on identity and emphasizes the need to acknowledge the grieving process for the lost parts of self and homeland.

It underscores the crucial role of social connection and community participation in helping individuals rebuild their identities and find a sense of belonging.

Even when individuals succeed in reinventing their identities, a deep sense of belonging may not always follow—especially if they cannot reconcile the loss of their “unlived futures” in the homeland.

Adventure, as a motivation for migration, may be less effective in promoting long-term adjustment than motivations such as seeking better opportunities or escaping adversity.

The findings underscore the need for community resources and support systems to help migrants manage identity disruption and construct new, meaningful identities.