Third Culture Kids
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Third Culture Kids (abbreviated TCKs or 3CKs or Global Nomad) "refers to someone who [as a child] has spent a significant period of time in one or more culture(s) other than his or her own, thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a third culture".<ref name=stategov>www.state.gov document (PDF)</ref> The composition of TCK sponsors changed greatly after WWII. Prior to WWII, 66% of TCK's came from missionary families and 16% came from business families. After WWII, with the increase of international business and the rise of two International Superpowers, the composition of international families changed.<ref name = "Major Study">"Third Culture Kids: Focus of Major Study -- TCK "mother" pens history of field"</ref> Sponsors are generally broken down into five categories: Missionary (17%), Business (16%), Government (23%), Military (30%), and "Other" (14%).<ref>Cotrell (2002) p230</ref>
Since the term was coined by sociologist Ruth Hill Useem in the 1960's, TCKs have become a heavily studied global subculture. TCKs share more in common with one another, regardless of nationality, than they do with non-TCK's from their own country.
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[edit] Growing up in a third cultural world
TCKs share some common characteristics amongst the subcategories such as multilingualism, tolerance for other cultures, a never-ending feeling of homesickness for their adopted country and a desire to remain in close contact with friends from their adopted country as well as other TCKs that they have grown up with. On the other hand, moving from country to country often becomes an easy thing for such individuals. They are what can be defined as truly global citizens who will embrace global cultures and experience and accept the global cultural rainbow.
Many TCKs take years to readjust to their passport countries and often suffer a reverse culture shock on their return to their ancestral culture. This is due to their having lived in many countries away from home and acculturated to adapt to these new cultures. (For military brats who have never lived outside of their home country, the culture shock stems from a return to civilian culture.) This leaves them with a bit of everything. Compared to their peers who have lived their entire lives in a single culture, these TCKs would have a globalized culture. Many choose to enter careers that allow them to travel frequently or live overseas. There is a growing number of online resources to help TCKs deal with issues as well as stay in contact with each other. Recently, blogs have become a helpful way for TCKs to interact. The unique experiences of TCKs among different cultures and various relationships at the formative stage of their development makes their orientation to the world different from others. However, this also makes it difficult for them to have in-depth communication with those who have not experienced similar conditions.
While Third Culture Kids usually grow up to be fiercely independent and cosmopolitan, they are more culturally sound and sensitive. They also tend to get along with people of any culture. As third culture kids grow up they become Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs).
Some of them come to terms with the tremendous culture shock and loss that they have experienced. They gain a broader understanding of the world through their varied experiences, while others spend most of their adult life trying to come to terms with those same issues.
Many third culture kids, face an identity crisis - they don't know where they come from. It would be typical for a third culture person to say that he or she is from a country but nothing beyond their passport defines it; they usually find it difficult to answer the question.
The term third culture kid was coined by Ruth Hill Useem in the early 1960s. She and her husband studied children who grew up in two or more cultures, including their own children, and termed them simply "third culture kids". Their idea was that children from one culture who live in another culture become part of a "third culture" that is more than simply a blend of home and host cultures.
Children and adults of the third culture share similar identities. Useem defined a third culture kid as
"[A] person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The third culture kid builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the third culture kid's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of the same background."<ref name=Pollock2001>Pollock DC and Van Reken R (2001). Third Culture Kids. Nicholas Brealey Publishing/Intercultural Press. Yarmouth, Maine. ISBN 1-85788-295-4.</ref>
Two circumstances are key to becoming a third culture kid: growing up in a truly cross-cultural world, and high mobility. By the former, Pollock and van Reken mean that instead of observing cultures, third culture kids actually live in different cultural worlds. By mobility, they mean mobility of both the third culture kid and others in their surrounding. The interplay between the two is what gives rise to common personal characteristics, benefits, and challenges. TCKs are distinguished from other immigrants by the fact that TCKs do not expect to settle down permanently in the places where they live.
Third culture kids grow up in a genuinely cross-cultural world. While expatriates watch and study cultures that they live in, third culture kids actually live in different cultural worlds. Third culture kids have incorporated different cultures on the deepest level, as to have several cultures incorporated into their thought processes. This means that third culture kids not only have deep cultural access to at least two cultures, this also means that thought processes are truly multicultural. That, in turn, influences how third culture kids relate to the world around them, and makes third culture kids' thought processes different even from members of cultures they have deep-level access to. TCKs also have certain personal characteristics in common. Growing up in the third culture rewards certain behaviors and personality traits in different ways than growing up in a single culture does, which results in common characteristics. Third culture kids are often tolerant cultural chameleons who can choose to what degree they wish to display their background.
As a result, Pollock and van Reken argue, third culture kids develop a sense of belonging everywhere and nowhere. Their experiences among different cultures and various relationships makes it difficult for them to have in-depth communication with those who have not experienced similar conditions. While third culture kids usually grow up to be independent and cosmopolitan, they also often struggle with their identity and with the losses they have suffered in each move. Some may feel very nationalistic toward one country, while others call themselves global citizens.
[edit] Sponsorship
TCK's exposure to foreign countries depends largely on parent's sponsoring organization. How long a family is in a foreign culture? The family's interaction with the host country nationals? How emeshed the family becomes with local practices? The family's interaction with people from the home country? These are all impacted by the sponsor.
Missionary Kids (MKs) typically spend the most time overseas in one country. 85% of MKs spend more than 10 years in foreign countries and 72% lived in only one foreign countries. MKs generally have the most interaction with the local populace and the least interaction with people from their passport country. They are the most likely to integrate themselves into the local culture.<ref name = "sponsor">Cotrell (2002) p 231</ref> 83% of missionary kids have at least one parent with an advanced degree.<ref name = "parental ed" />
Business families also spend a great deal of time in foreign countries. 63% of business TCK's have lived in foreign countries at least 10 years but are more likely than MKs to live in multiple countries. Business TCKs will have a fairly high interaction with their host nationals and with others from their passport country.<ref name = "sponsor" />
Military brats, largely from the United States, are the most mobile of TCKs but will have spent only a few years abroad. 41% of military brats will have spent less than 5 years in foreign country's. Military brats are the least likely to have deep connections to the locals and the most likely to have solid connections to their passport country.<ref name = "sponsor" /> The parents of military brats had the lowest level of education of the five categories. Despite this fact, 36% of brat TCK families had at least one parent with an advanced degree.<ref name = "parental ed" />
Nonmilitary government TCKs are the most likely to have extended experiences in foreign country's for extended periods. 44% have lived in at least 4 country's. 44% will also have spent at least 10 years outside of their passport country. Their involvement with locals and others from their passport country depends on the role of the parent. Some may grow up moving from country to country in the diplomatic corp while others may live their lives near military bases.<ref name = "sponsor" />
The "Other" category includes anybody who does not fit the above description: intergovernmental agencies, educators, international non-governmental organizations, media, etc.<ref>Jordan (2002) p 227.</ref> This group typically has spent the least amount of time in foreign countries (42% are abroad for 1-2 years and 70% for less than 5.) Again their involvement with local people and culture can vary greatly depending.<ref name = "sponsor" /> The parents of "Others" are the most likely of TCKs to have parents with an advanced degree (89% of families have an advanced degree.)<ref name = "Parental Ed">Cotrell (2002) p 233-234. In the study, military dependents were the "most representative of the United States population." Over all 80% of TCK families had at least one parent with a BA. 46% of TCK families the father had an advanced degree and 18% of the families the mother had one. p 234.</ref>
[edit] Career Decisions
| Type of Work<ref>Cotrell (2002) p237</ref> | Missionary | Military | Government | Business | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive/Admin | 17% | 28% | 35% | 26% | 24% |
| Semi/Professional | 61% | 34% | 38% | 47% | 53% |
| Support (Secretarial/Technical) | 17% | 27% | 15% | 16% | 13% |
| Sales | 5% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 4% |
| Other | 1% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Work Setting <ref>Cotrell (2002) p238</ref> | Missionary | Military | Government | Business | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Financial | 22% | 32% | 27% | 20% | 17% |
| Education | 25% | 23% | 17% | 17% | 28% |
| Health/Social Services | 24% | 7% | 13% | 23% | 13% |
| Self Employed | 11% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% |
| Government | 3% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 8% |
| Military | 2% | 10% | 6% | 1% | 2% |
| Non-Medical Prossional | 3% | 6% | 12% | 11% | 10% |
| Arts/Media | 0% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| Religious | 10% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 1% |
[edit] Characteristics
There are different characteristics that impact the typical Third Culture Kid:<ref name=stategov>www.state.gov document (PDF)</ref><ref name=Useem2001>Useem RH (2001). Third Culture Kids: Focus of Major Study. International Schools Services.</ref><ref name=Lewis>Lewis L. Third Culture Kids.</ref><ref name=McCaig1994>McCaig NM (1994). Growing up with a world view - nomad children develop multicultural skills. Foreign Service Journal, pp. 32-41.</ref>
- TCKs are 4 times as likely as non-TCKs to earn a bachelor's degree (81% vs 21%)<ref name=Cottrell1993a>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993). TCKs Four Times More Likely to Earn Bachelor’s Degrees. International Schools Services, 7(5).</ref>
- 40% earn an advanced degree (as compared to 5% of the non-TCK population.)<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- 45% of TCK's attended 3 universities before earning a degree.<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- 44% earned undergraduate degree after the age of 22.<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- Average age to obtain a master's degree is: 24[citation needed]
- Educators, medicine, professional positions, and self employment are the most common professions for TCKs.<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- TCKs are unlikely to work for big business, government, or follow their parents' career choices. "One won't find many TCKs in large corporations. Nor are there many in government ... they have not followed in parental footsteps".<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- 90% feel "out of sync" with their peers.<ref name=Cottrell1993b>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993). TCKs Experience Prolonged Adolescence. International Schools Services, 8(1).</ref>
- 90% report feeling as if they understand other cultures/peoples better than the average American.<ref name=Cottrell1993c>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993).ATCKs have problems relating to their own ethnic groups. International Schools Services, 8(2).</ref>
- 80% believe they can get along with anybody.<ref name=Cottrell1993c>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993).ATCKs have problems relating to their own ethnic groups. International Schools Services, 8(2).</ref>
- Divorce rates among TCKs are lower than the general population, but they marry older (25+).<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref><ref>Jordan (2002) p223</ref>
- Linguistically Adept (not as true for military brats.)<ref name=Cottrell1994>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1994). ATCKs maintain global dimensions throughout their lives. International Schools Services, 8(4).</ref>
- A study focusing exclusively on military brats shows that brats are linguistically adept.<ref>Ender, Morten, "Growing up in the Military" in Strangers at Home: Essays on the effects of living overseas and Coming 'home' to a strange land. Edited Carolyn Smith, Alethia Publications: New York. 1996. p88-90 </ref>
- Teenage TCKs are more mature than non-TCKs, but ironically take longer to "grow up" in their 20s.<ref name=Cottrell1993b>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993). TCKs Experience Prolonged Adolescence. International Schools Services, 8(1).</ref>
- More welcoming of others into their community.<ref name=Lewis>Lewis L. Third Culture Kids.</ref>
- Lack a sense of "where home is" but often nationalistic.<ref name=Lewis>Lewis L. Third Culture Kids.</ref><ref name=Cottrell1993c>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993).ATCKs have problems relating to their own ethnic groups. International Schools Services, 8(2).</ref>
- Some studies show a desire to "settle down" others a "restlessness to move".
- Depression and suicide are more prominent among TCK's.<ref name=Cottrell1993b>Cottrell AB, Useem RH (1993). TCKs Experience Prolonged Adolescence. International Schools Services, 8(1).</ref>
[edit] Families
TCKs often come from highly successful and educated families. This is notion has been supported by research, but is also intuitively recognizable. When a group (whether it is the military, a business, church, etc) decides to send somebody to a foreign country, they are making a significant investment. They want to send people who will represent the group the best and provide the most value for the investment.
TCKs will thus have a higher probability of coming from a family where at least one parent earned a college degree. In some countries, like India, living in a foreign country is considered a novelty, TCKs gain alot of populartiy among their local social circle. They also get better treatment when they return to their home country for holidays.{uncited}
TCKs also tend to come from families that are closer than non-TCK families. They will also have a smaller likelihood of having divorced parents (divorced parents are unlikely to allow their ex to take their child to another country.) "Because the nuclear family is the only consistent social unit through all moves, family members are psychologically thrown back on one another in a way that is not typical in geographically stable families."<ref name=McCaig1994>McCaig NM (1994). Growing up with a world view - nomad children develop multicultural skills. Foreign Service Journal, pp. 32-41.</ref> Unfortunately, TCKs are also more prone to abuse as the family can become too tight knit.
As they come from a nuclear family in the migrant country, it is also difficult for third culture kids to adjust to an extended family and a larger social circle when they return home. They also have difficulty coming to terms with the increased time commitments that their parents are expect to devote to an extended family circle upon returnning to their home country.{uncited}
However it is debatable whether these individuals have a closeness towards the extended family. Research shows that this depends om the exposure and interaction that these TCKS have with their relatives.{uncited}
[edit] Other uses
- The "third culture" implied in the concept has no relation with the phenomenon described in John Brockman's book The Third Culture.
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] Further reading
- Pollock DC and Van Reken R (2001). Third Culture Kids. Nicholas Brealey Publishing/Intercultural Press. Yarmouth, Maine. ISBN 1-85788-295-4.
- Eakin KB. Understanding Third Culture Kids. Relocation Journal & Real Estate News.
- Eakin KB. According to my passport, I'm coming home. ASIN B0006RKN54.
- Hess DJ (1994). The Whole World Guide to Culture Learning. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.
- Kalb R and Welch P (1992). Moving Your Family Overseas. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.
- Kohls RL (1996). Survival Kit for Overseas Living. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.
- Pascoe R (1993). Culture Shock: Successful Living Abroad. Graphic Arts, Portland, OR.
- Seelye HN, Wasilewski JH (1996). Between Cultures: Developing Self-Identity in a World of Diversity. McGraw-Hill Companies. ISBN 0-8442-3305-6.
- Shames GW (1997). Transcultural Odysseys: The Evolving Global Consciousness. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.
- Storti C (1997). The Art of Coming Home. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME.
