Socializing the uprooted: The case of mothers from South Lebanon (SLA families) residing in Israel

This paper describes the socialization strategies of 12 uprooted Lebanese mothers in Israel and compares their strategies to those discussed in the immigration literature. Utilizing qualitative in depth interviews, we explore the maternal socialization goals and practices designed to preserve their culture of origin. Unlike immigrant parents who see themselves as needing to respond to their new culture, these uprooted mothers regard their exodus as temporary and fantasize about returning to Lebanon in the future. Thus, a major finding of this study is the socialization strategy that promotes the conservation of the past in a dream for the future. This strategy aims to promote the children's loyalty and their internalizing the notion that they do not belong in Israel. The mothers also attach great importance to the national identity of their children and use five different socialization practices to preserve it: modeling, cultural heritage and religious socialization, group solidarity, confronting discrimination and marriage expectations. Recognition of the complexity of contextual variations in cultural changes that inform parents’ socialization strategies and practices for their children may prove to be crucial for any policy or interventions directed toward uprooted populations.