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Call for Research Proposals

CISIIP welcomes researchers from all disciplines to submit their research project proposals, either as collaborative or independent research projects. The following research proposals are encouraged but we welcome all research proposals that are related to immigrant parents or seniors. 

Once accepted, CISIIP will provide affiliated researchers with working space, fieldwork assistance and dissemination.

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For additional information and to apply, please contact: qiuyu.jiang@mail.mcgill.ca

Theme 1

The present situation of the immigrant seniors through family reunification program

This research aims to present the demography and the status quo of immigrant seniors in Canada, with a focus on those living in Quebec. In addition to collecting the demographic data (nationality/ethnicity, age, education, gender, former profession, economic status, and neighborhood) on the immigrant seniors, this research will identify the difficulties they encounter in the host society (such as language barriers, adapting to their new lives, financial dependence, Intergenerational relations, as well as social isolation and elder abuse); their social capitals (such as social ties, social resources and networks beyond their immediate family) and coping mechanism in case of social isolation; their knowledge of available social services and programs for elderly in the city; and most importantly, the research will compare data from different ethnic groups to further identify the cultural and social factors (such as religion, intergenerational relations, culture, gender/age, education, socioeconomic background, etc.) that contribute to one’s social isolation. 

 

Target group: Immigrant seniors in Canada with a focus on those in Quebec 

Methodology: online and paper-based questionnaires + in face and telephone interviews

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  • The difference between immigrant parents’ statue quo in Quebec and Canada

  • Main difficulties new immigrant parents face in Quebec (and Canada)

  • Key factors that impact the lives of immigrant parents 

  • Major ways immigrant seniors use to cope with social isolation

Theme 2

Historical analysis of family reunification program

This research is a comprehensive literature review on the federal government’s family reunification immigration program, looking at the historical changes of the criteria in the program throughout time (with a focus on the most recent 2 decades). It will also look at the impact of family reunification program, such as its social impact on the immigrant seniors and the possible social problems it may cause. That is, it will look at the social policies of the Quebec government on immigrant seniors, and examines whether and how some policies serves as institutional barriers for immigrant seniors to integrate into Quebec, which leads to their social isolation and exclusion. 

 

Methodology: Literature review and analysis.

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  • The history of the family reunification program in Quebec/Canada: changing criteria since the 1990s

  • The social impact of the family reunification program on the immigrant seniors

  • An analysis on the immigration policies on immigrant seniors in Quebec 

Theme 3

The social cultural belongings (integration) of the immigrant seniors

This research looks at how immigrant seniors perceive their social isolation and exclusion. 

It examines how social and immigration policies in Quebec affect the social integration of immigrant seniors, especially, how it affects their social and cultural belongings to their host society (Quebec). Through different case studies, this research will examine how individuals’ diverse backgrounds (education, social ties, age, gender, and economic status) would affect one’s social and cultural belongings. 

 

Target group: Immigrant seniors in Quebec. 

Methodology: Policy analysis + Interviews and case studies

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  • How Quebec’s social and immigration policies affect the social integration of immigrant seniors

  • Evidences from case studies to identify key factors that contributes to immigrant parents’ social cultural belongings 

  • Social cultural belongings of immigrant seniors in Quebec

Theme 4

The exclusion of immigrant seniors in the Quebec medical care system

This research examines the institutional exclusions in the Quebec medical system for the immigrant seniors, using Chinese immigrant seniors as an example. It will compare the different medical systems in their home and host societies. Based on their personal experiences, this research explores the reasons immigrant seniors have difficulties in seeking medical care and how certain regulations and language/service available (or not) serves as an exclusion for those immigrant seniors in the Quebec medical system.  

 

Target group: Immigrant ethnic minority seniors in the Quebec (with a focus on those from Chinese mainland)

Methodology: Questionnaires + Interviews

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  • Exclusions in the Quebec medical system: Cases from Chinese immigrant seniors 

  • A comparison between Quebec and Chinese health systems in senior cares

  • Difficulties facing immigrant seniors in Quebec hospital/clinics 

Theme 5

Ethnic exclusion, discrimation, ethnic isolation towards immigrant seniors

This research focuses on the social exclusions and isolations of immigrant seniors whose mother tongue is not Canadian government’s 2 official languages. It pays special attention to 4 layers of social exculsions: 

  1. Language (studies show that Angelophone seniors are more at risk in social isolation and exclusion than Francophone seniors);

  2. Physical/Geographic and ethnic isolation (certain services or consultation only available in certain neighborhoods); and

  3. Educational and economic; and 

  4. Ethnic isolation (it may overlap with geographic and language isolations but it emphasizes more on racism and stereotypes towards other ethnic groups within different immigrant senior groups)

 

Target groups: Immigrant ethnic minority seniors in Quebec (especially those whose mother tongue is neither French nor English)

Methodology: Interviews and case studies

Theme 6

Immigrant seniors’ impact on the Canadian/Quebec pension industry

This research argues that instead of conceiving immigrant seniors as a non-productive group to the society, immigrant seniors could contribute to the Candian pension industry, for example, how the fact of them living in Quebec helps to create more jobs in the elder-care services, medical care, and pharmaceutical industries. 

 

Target groups: Immigrant seniors and their families in Quebec, Quebce government’s data on pension industry

Methodology: Policy analysis + Interviews and case studies

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  • The contributions of immigrant seniors to Quebec’s economy

  • The social contributions immigrant seniors to Quebec’s society

Theme 7

The agency of immigrant seniors (coping strategy)

This research looks at how immigrant seniors view their social isolation and how they cope with such exclusion. It explores different channels and platforms immigrant seniors utilise to minimize their social isolation (such as engaging in social activities, enrolling in educational programs, etc. ). It also looks at how/whether increased inter ethnic communication would result in a more inclusive environment for immigrant seniors.  

 

Target groups: Immigrant seniors in Quebec

Methodology: Interviews and case studies

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  • The coping and adapting strategies of seniors to Quebec society

  • Different channels and platforms immigrant seniors utilise to minimize their social isolation 

  • The relationship between the degree of inter-ethnic communication and social inclusion of immigrant seniors 

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