Nicole James

B.A. Geography/Social Science, B.S. Social Studies Secondary Education, M.S. Geography
Ph.D Candidate (2007-present)
Rm. 103, Geography Dept.
Email:  n.james1nuigalway.ie

Biography:

Nikki comes to NUIG from the U.S.  She earned a Double Major B.A. from Bemidji State University (Minnesota) in Geography and Social Science, followed by a B.S. degree in Social Studies Secondary Education from St. Cloud State University (Minnesota).  Following that, Nikki earned her M.S. degree in Geography from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. 

Upon completion of her Masters degree, Nikki worked as a secondary teacher in both Minnesota and Illinois; teaching Geography and History, as well as teaching courses in the regional geography of East Asia as an adjunct in the Geography Department at St. Cloud State University.  Following that, taking a career path away from teaching, Nikki worked in the legal field and in electrical engineering sales before relocating to Ireland in 2007 to resume her academic career in Geography.

Research Interests:

Nikki’s research interests in pursuit of her M.S. degree related to sacred spaces of Shinto in Japan, formal and informal expressions of Shinto practice on the physical and cultural landscape of Japan, and the ways in which Shinto compares to other major world religions in its impacts upon physical and cultural landscapes.  

Current Research:

Working Title: The Development of Transnational Identity and Sense of Place amongst Immigrant Youth in Ireland

Nikki’s current research interests concern the acculturation of immigrants’ children in contemporary Ireland.  Particularly, she is examining social networks and supports within families, schools and ethnic communities that either facilitate or impair acculturation.  

The foundations of Nikki’s research are rooted in the findings of social scientists who have noted that the characteristics and resources of schools, parents and the wider immigrant/ethnic community have a great impact on the successful acculturation of children. (Kateijns and Arman 2004).  If immigrant children become embedded in a co-ethnic or multi-ethnic community -- both at home and at school -- that supports them and their parents and families, successful acculturation and formation of a strong bicultural identity is much more likely to occur (Zhou 1997).  Ideally, such a community would encourage the maintenance of immigrant cultural norms, moderate intergenerational conflict, encourage co-ethnic friendships, and support full bilingualism amongst the second generation.  Working from this ideal, Nikki is examining the co-ethnic and/or transnational relationships and supports that are developing in select Irish schools and communities in order to determine how effectively they are assisting immigrant youth to acculturate. 

The three components of the immigrant youth environment that Nikki is specifically studying are the school community, the home environment (parents/guardians of immigrant youth), and the co-ethnic or multi-ethnic communities in which the youth reside.  She will look for evidence of acculturative support under five general areas:  language competency, friendship networks, family cohesiveness, cultural maintenance and social capital, and future aspirations.  

Suggested Readings:

Berry, J.W. (2006) “Immigrant Youth: Acculturation, Identity, and Adaptation”.  Applied Psychology: An International Review, 55 (3), 303-332.

Kapteijns, Lidwien & Abukar Arman.  2004.  Educating Immigrant Youth in the United States. Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali Studies 4: 18-43.

Portes, Alejandro & L. Hao.  (2004)  “The Schooling of Children of Immigrants: Contextual Effects on the Educational Attainment of the Second Generation”.  Proceeding of National Academy of Science 101: 11920-11927.  

Stanton-Salazar, Ricardo. 2001.  Manufacturing Hope and Despair: The School and Kin Support Networks of U.S.-Mexican Youth.  New York: Teachers College Press.

Suarez-Orozco, M. & C. Suarez-Orozco.  (2001)  Children of Immigration Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 

Zhou, Min.  1997.  Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants.  Annual Review of Sociology 23: 63-95.