Ruiz A Stefanie, Ravitch Sharon M
School of Social Policy and Practice, The University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214 USA.
School of Social Policy and Practice, The University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214 USA.
Voluntas. 2023;34(2):301-312. doi: 10.1007/s11266-022-00469-4. Epub 2022 Mar 11.
This qualitative research study examines how volunteering and nonvolunteering is associated with immigrant perceptions of their integration into US society. The study analyzes 24 semi-structured interviews to explore differences in social integration experiences and perceptions of social integration between immigrant volunteers and nonvolunteers. The study's theoretical framework is intersectionality, and the conceptual framework consists of social integration, rational choice, and symbolic boundary theory. While past studies assert that volunteering increases feelings of social integration, this empirical study offers a comparative perspective between immigrants who volunteer and those who do not. Study findings suggest that formal immigrant volunteers build a stronger sense of agency in their social integration journeys through their contributions to American society. Data suggest that most nonvolunteering participants achieve minor benefits by engaging in informal volunteering outside of organizational auspices.
这项定性研究考察了志愿服务与非志愿服务如何与移民对融入美国社会的认知相关联。该研究分析了24次半结构化访谈，以探讨移民志愿者和非志愿者在社会融入经历和社会融入认知方面的差异。该研究的理论框架是交叉性理论，其概念框架包括社会融入、理性选择和象征边界理论。虽然过去的研究认为志愿服务会增强社会融入感，但这项实证研究提供了一个志愿移民与非志愿移民之间的比较视角。研究结果表明，正式的移民志愿者通过对美国社会的贡献，在其社会融入过程中建立了更强的能动感。数据表明，大多数非志愿参与者通过参与组织之外的非正式志愿服务获得了些许益处。
