Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Koby Lee
Dr. Cruise
Thursday 11 – 1:30
26 June 2017
Using data that they gathered from the European Social Survey (ESS), Researchers R.
Fitzgerald, L. Winstone, and Y. Prestage have examined patterns of acculturation in people who
have migrated into western Europe from eastern European countries of origin. To show these
their data, they discovered that eastern European countries held majority anti-homosexual
sentiments, while western European countries typically held tolerant, more accepting views.
Using this, researchers examined the attitudes of migrants who were leaving an eastern European
country to settle in western Europe, and recorded whether their attitudes regarding
homosexuality changed from their original attitudes based on the amount of time they spent in
western Europe. They found that the majority of eastern European migrants who settled in
western European countries integrated into the new host countries’ views of homosexuality, and
that this shift in attitudes was most prominent among those who immigrated for twenty years or
more.
Patterns of Acculturation from eastern to western Europe 2
The focus of this article was to examine whether patterns of acculturation existed among
eastern European people who were migrating to western European countries. In order to focus on
these patterns, researchers needed to use a topic in which views between eastern and western
European countries were vastly different. As such, they chose to focus on the contrasting views
countries were mostly hostile, with many countries having laws that banned any relations
between two people of the same sex. Western European countries, however, held much more
accepting sentiments, with many having laws that protect Gay and Lesbian people from
discrimination (Fitzgerald, Winstone, & Prestage 2). Fitzgerald, Winstone, and Prestage used
this divide as a way to examine the rates of acculturation within eastern European migrant
repeatedly, and noted any changes over a period of time. Their data revealed that younger
migrants were more likely to have a shift in perspective than older migrants, that the rate of
acceptance was lower in men than in women, and that a change in view was most prominent if
the migrant stayed in a western European country for more than twenty years.
While reading this article, I found these discoveries to be unsurprising. The longer a
person stays in an area that has a drastically different culture from their own, the more likely they
are to integrate into some part of that culture. It is also safe to assume that the younger said
person is, the more open they would be to new ideologies. I found it interesting that some central
European countries held such strong perspectives given their geographical location, but this was
quickly explained. As an example, the article refers to Poland as evidence that many of the
countries that have strong, or harsh views regarding Homosexuality were previously controlled
by a predominantly Socialist government, and as such, many still held critical perspectives on
Patterns of Acculturation from eastern to western Europe 3
things that fell outside of what the society felt was “normal” or right (Fitzgerald et al 2). I did
find that many of the differing views on Homosexuality that are discussed in the article were
prominent during my study abroad within Western Europe. While I was reading the article, I felt
that it directly related to my personal experiences when it discussed that more open, tolerant
views were prominent in areas that were economically advanced. During my time abroad, I
noticed that in the smaller areas that were associated with specific migrant groups, and in areas
where residents spoke specific languages associated with eastern countries, there were more
negative attitudes directed at any paraphernalia that expressed positive attitudes regarding
Homosexuality, and in some areas there were even people who were quoting Bible scriptures on
the street corners regarding Homosexuality. On the opposing end of this, however, I noticed that
in the larger areas of the cities, same-sex couples were more openly comfortable, and I would see
more shops and propaganda that were expressing positive views of same-sex couples.
Throughout their article, Researchers Fitzgerald, Winstone, and Prestage examine the
patterns of acculturation within groups who were migrating from Eastern to Western Europe. To
do this, they focused on shifting views of Homosexuality, and whether time spent in western
European countries would influence the migrants’ negative views of it. Through their data, they
discovered that many migrants who stayed in a western European country for 20 years or more
had a change in view, that younger migrants were more open to the new ideology, and that
References
Fitzgerald, R., Winstone, L., & Prestage, Y. (2014). Searching for evidence of acculturation: