Families and Children
In our studies of eleven new and old immigrant communities in Los Angeles, we have paid a great deal of attention to the interpersonal networks of local residents. The most basic and important interpersonal network"the family"is a central focus of our current research in partnership with First 5LA.
In four areas with large Latino populations, we asked if families who communicate more are also more involved in their local community. We developed the Family Interaction Index. We found that higher levels of family interaction go along with higher levels of civic engagement and stronger connections to the neighborhood storytelling network.
In our telephone surveys, focus groups, and field observations, we study how families gather information from their family members, extended interpersonal networks and various media resources to learn about childcare, child rearing, and health care resources in the local area. We also study where families go in the community to have fun, and how often families patronize local businesses and cultural events in the local community.
Another recent aspect of our work has been to study the roles that children of new immigrants play as translators of language, culture, and media for their parents. This research demonstrates the critical roles of children in their family’s solving of everyday life problems, such as relating to health care providers and the schools.
Research Team
Publications
Published Papers
Loges, W.E. and Jung, Joo-Young (2001). Exploring the Digital Divide: Internet connectedness and age. Communication Research, 28(4), 536-562.
Papers in Preparation
Loges, W.E., Qiu, J., & Ball-Rokeach, S.J., Broken bonds at work, broken bonds at home: A theoretical connection.
Wilkin, H. A., Katz, V., & Ball-Rokeach, S. J., Community change begins at home: The role of family interaction on civic engagement outcomes.
Papers Presented at Professional Meetings
Katz, V. (2007). Making the connection: What immigrant children do for their families and how it matters. Presentation at the UCLA Migration Symposium, Los Angeles.
Katz, V. (2007). Personal technologies for communal purpose: A study of adolescent Latinos and new communication technologies. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago.
Katz, V. (2008). An Active Education: classroom participation as an influence on intergroup relations between parents. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Conference, Montreal.
Loges, W. E. and Jung, Joo-Young. (2001). Exploring the digital divide: Internet connectedness and age. Paper presented to the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Washington, D.C.
Loges, W. E., Ball-Rokeach, S. J., & Qiu, L. (2005). Broken bonds at work, broken bonds at home: A theoretical connection Paper presented at the 55th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, New York City.
Loges, W.E. and Jung, Joo-Young. (2001). Exploring the digital divide: Internet connectedness and age. Presented to the 51st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Washington, D.C.
Loges, W.E., Ball-Rokeach, S.J., & Qiu, J.L. (2003). Broken bonds at work, Broken bonds at home: A theoretical connection. Paper presented to the conference "From 9-to-5 to 24/7: How workplace change impact families, work, and communities," Orlando.
Qiu, J.L, Ball-Rokeach, S.J., & Li, H.M (2002). The metamorphosis of communicative bonds between work, family, & community in the age of globalization. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Conference, New Orleans.
Dissertations
Katz, V. (2007). From conversation to conversion: Children's efforts to translate their immigrant families' social networks into community connections.
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