Project Overview
Naturalization ceremonies signal the integration of new citizens into the national community as they pledge allegiance to their adopted country. These ceremonies also serve as both formal and informal educational platforms, transmitting the narratives and values attached to national identity. However, national identity itself is dynamic—constantly contested and evolving. This project examines how naturalization ceremonies, including those incorporating Advanced Digital Technologies (ADT), influence new citizens’ perceptions of national identity. The study involves:
- Analyzing discourse surrounding virtual ceremonies in Canadian news media and policy documents;
- Administering a survey to naturalizing individuals, differentiating between ceremony types (in-person, remote, enhanced ceremonies, and those involving Indigenous elders);
- Conducting elite interviews with citizenship judges and key actors responsible for ceremony development;
- Exploring potential collaborations with organizations involved in naturalization ceremonies in Canada and comparator countries.
Research Questions
- How do naturalization ceremonies shape new citizens’ understanding of citizenship and national identity?
- What is the affective impact of naturalization ceremonies? Do they foster strong feelings of belonging among new citizens? Is there a differential impact based on the ceremony’s format (e.g., in-person, virtual, enriched)?
- Does the inclusion of Indigenous elders influence the experience?
Methods
- Discourse Analysis
- In-Depth Interviews
- Surveys
- Media Analysis
Collaborators
UBC Centre for Migration Studies
- Principal Investigator: Antje Ellermann (Professor, Political Science)
- Irene Bloemraad (Professor, Political Science and Sociology)
- Vince Hopkins (Assistant Professor, Political Science)
- Sandra Schinnerl (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Migration Studies)
- Lisa Brunner (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Migration Studies)
University of Toronto
- Phil Triadafilopoulos (Professor, Political Science)
Concordia University
- Mireille Paquet (Associate Professor, Political Science)
Research assistants
- Carolina Reyes Marquez (Doctoral Student, Political Science, University of Toronto)
- Nadezhda Zezyulina, (Master’s student, Political Science, Concordia University)
- Taylor Jackson, (Doctoral Student, Political Science, University of Toronto)
Outputs
Work in progress
Project Status
This project is currently in the Data Collection and Data Analysis phases.
This research was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
