MIGRATION AND IDENTITY CRISIS: A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF MIGRANTS

Abstract

Migration contributed to richness in diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and races the world over. Migration has severe repercussions on individuals and households who experience many problems including loss of cultural norms, cultural identity, and social support systems, acculturation and changes in identity. We used quantitative research in the positivistic tradition and employed cross-sectional research methods. The study was conducted in different areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The sample size of 95 households was determined by Taro Yamane formula. The households were enumerated by means of snowball sampling technique and data was collected through a well-structured questionnaire. We found that migration is a great source of identity crisis for the migrants moving within the cities. Due to fear of identity crisis, migrants and their children do not represent themselves and hide their identity while avoiding interaction with the people and mates. Similarly, they are afraid of being discriminated against and intimidated about being treated differently by the people at their destination. By the same token, migrants become victims of identity crisis that has critical psychological consequences. It is, thus, concluded that migrants feel underrepresented and suffer from identity crisis due to discrimination at destination.