Understanding the triggers and communicative processes that constitute resilience in the context of migration to the United States

Abstract

There are approximately 244 million migrants worldwide and 40 million migrants living in the US. These migrants face a myriad of stressors that they need to overcome. Framed by the communication theory of resilience, this study explores the resilience triggers and processes migrants discuss during their migration experience. Findings from 43 narrative interviews reveal three resilience triggers, four resilience processes, and two relationships between resilience triggers and processes. Similar to the ways that migrants experienced resilience triggers less, more, or ambivalently, the resilience processes were tensional and complex. Practical applications for organizations, migrants, teachers, and researchers are described. Theoretical implications related to migrants’ existing privilege and triggers, resilience processes as tensional, and co-occurrences between triggers and processes are discussed.