Repeat Migration and Multicultural Identity : A Case Study

Identity, multiculturalism and integration are inherently intertwined for immigrants as the creation of a new multicultural identity determines how successful an individual will be at integrating into a new environment. This paper investigates repeat migration and questions if and how different forms of migration impact the process identity integration. It examines the topic using a single case study, considering three stages of migration– forced, ideological and economic and their different impacts upon identity. The paper considers the case study through the lens of the population group she represents at each stage of migration and the factors that impact their decision to migrate. Identity is a major issue only in the case of ideological migration, as in cases of forced and economic migration, the individual views adapting identity as a pivotal component for achieving success in the new reality, where improved quality of life is the ultimate goal of migration. In contrast, ideological migration to Israel poses a unique situation in which Jewish immigrants consider themselves to be returning home to an envisioned ideal; therefore, they often resist making the identity and lifestyle transformations necessary to meet the needs of their new reality in Israel.