Participation engendering belonging : a study of lived experiences of immigrants living in Halifax

Abstract

This thesis explores whether, and how, political participation engenders belonging. Political participation includes both formal and informal politics in this study. The connections between political participation and belonging are investigated through qualitative analysis, of the experiences of the ten immigrant residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), using a modified intesectionality theory approach. This thesis underscores the need to broaden this approach by adding "place" to the variables of race, gender, and class. The addition of "place" serves to incorporate the specific history of the municipality, which is unique to the rest of Canada and has helped shape the experiences of immigrants currently choosing to settle in the area. The ten participants in this study, coming from various countries of origin, all belong to an organization of some type and all found their political participation, broadly conceived, engendered a sense of belonging to the broader Canadian society.