Koreans in Paraguay: language, identity and (re)migration

Abstract

AbstractThis article focuses on the concept of globalization and its effect on linguistic and cultural identities. Modern migration patterns related to globalization generally provide migrants with increased access to resources, while at the same time placing them in a multiplicity of sociocultural encounters within numerous and diverse linguistic contexts. In this article, I turn to the concept of superdiversity to analyze the Korean community’s transformation from a traditional and homogeneous generation to one that is characterized by transnational mobility; economic fluidity, both local and global; issues of multiple linguistic and ethnic belongingness; and dynamic social connections in Paraguay. I also demonstrate that identity construction of contemporary migrants is a unique and complex process that emerges from individualized experiences.