Eloji, Ada Christine (2014) The voices, views and challenges of migrant women and leadership in Ireland: using a feminist community education as a tool for participation. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

Background of Research Irish society is experiencing people from different socio-cultural groups currently, since the turn of the 21st century. As many Irish people emigrated throughout the centuries but the arrival of large numbers of immigrants from other Europeans and African countries and a small number of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland is phenomenon. Each year, up to 40,000 immigrants came into Ireland according to Immigrant Council of Ireland ( ICI;2003). In the last quarter of 2005,there was an indication of currently 253,000 foreign nationalities from age 15 and above in the country according to Central Statistical Office ( CSO;2005) and the trend is said to continue with the prediction that there will be immigrant foreign born nationals in the population by the year 2030 ( Irish Times 2008). Rationale for this Study: An Opening Statement There is a growing need to support migrant women to participate into Irish communities and society. For many, the agony of direct provision is quite a difficult one coupled with the issues that ranges from racism, oppression, exploitation, isolation, despondency, depression and to a large extent dependency. The phrase ‘direct provision’ is a system where those who seek asylum are accommodated and fed in hostels ,or, private/ self-catered for while their application is being processed. Out of the need for security and safety, people find themselves so far away from their familiar environment. Apart from barriers from proper integration, there is also lack of knowledge to getting information about various system of operations in Ireland like, housing, health services , access to education and all other aspects of Irish society. Migrant women in particular are central among other things to the provision and use of many aspect of feminist community education and participation. Many have seen community education as an opportunity to make up for the poor education attainment in previous years. Unfortunately, this form of education has seen a low political profile compared to other aspects of education yet it is the main grassroots to community development, cohesion and integration ( Connolly,1997). Educational participation through community is like an extension of church activities, women associations ,literary groups, as well as university extensions through lifelong learning. The motivation for acquisition of community education and participation may include social interaction, contacts, engaging in knowledge and skills, personal and general development and a way of assessing one’ own potential( Slowey,1987). For migrant women in particular, this may also provide an opportunity to move out of the comfort zone that is pure domestic function to transition to independence through the workforce. While the outcome of most women community education is to empower and connect the disadvantaged and marginalised group like migrant women in order to integrate them with the wider society, yet their low participation is a subject to be looked into in this research.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Additional Information:	Submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the MA in Community education, Equality and Social Activism
Keywords:	voices; views; challenges; migrant women; leadership; Ireland; feminist community education; participation; MA in Community education, Equality and Social Activism;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Adult and Community Education
Item ID:	12263
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	21 Jan 2020 17:35
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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