Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2011
Capstone Advisor
John Western
Honors Reader
Amy Lutz
Capstone Major
Geography
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Social Sciences
Subject Categories
American Studies | Other American Studies
Abstract
The purpose of my Capstone project is to construct an ethnography centered on Polish immigrant women living in the suburbs Chicago. The goal is to study whether or not they believe they keep their Polish culture and identity alive. However, in order to study culture, I had to first identify the factors that contribute to the construction and maintenance of Polish culture. They are: values, community, culture, identity, and perceptions of the United States and Americans. My research began with attempts to gather information from established and respected Polish organizations, like the Polish Museum of American (PMA) and the Polish Women’s Alliance of America (PWAA). However, after both institutions proved unhelpful, I asked a family friend, Anna, who was the inspiration for my project, for help. An interview with Anna and a former coworker of mine, Ada, helped me to establish strong interview questions and techniques and shifted my project in a different but more accessible and interesting direction. I began collecting data via interviews and questionnaires. My greatest resource turned out to be St. Margaret Mary Church in Algonquin, Illinois. Nearly half of the participants of my project were parishioners. The women from the parish, made it possible for me to gather the necessary data to conclude that although the majority of the women have American citizenship, and quite a few identify their children as American, the woman succeed in maintaining their Polish traditions, culture, and identities.
Recommended Citation
McChesney, Carolyn C., "An Ethnography of Polish Immigrant Women Residing in the Suburbs of Chicago, Illinois" (2011). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 302.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/302
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