Being a Man in Canada: The Gendered Impacts of Resettlement Programs on Syrian ‎Male Immigrants in Halifax

Abstract

Using a phenomenological approach, this thesis examined‎ the ways in which Syrian men ‎‎experience changes in the culture of ‎gender relations in Canada. This study aimed to ‎understand ‎how Syrian men perceive Canadian gender norms and struggle to adapt to ‎‎them, to ‎inform the design of immigrant support services to help immigrants to ‎Canada ‎to adopt more ‎equitable understandings of gender‎. The research used qualitative ‎methods supported by in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 Syrian straight cis-gendered men and with 5 staff ‎members from settlement organizations in Halifax ‎‎(ISANS, YMCA). Using Maslow's Hierarchy ‎of needs model helped me to locate which ‎‎'level of needs' has been ‎addressed by settlement ‎programs. The results showed that most ‎men participants try to conform to Canadian dominant ‎gender norms, either consciously ‎or unconsciously. Focusing on male position and masculinity ‎fosters ‎more equitable ‎gender relations within immigrants’ families and more broadly in ‎Canadian society.‎