Astrid Eich-Krohm

Contact Info Southern Connecticut State University Department of Sociology Engleman Hall - C023E 501 Crescent Street New Haven, CT 06515 email: eichkrohma2@southernct.edu Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

Welcome

Research

• "From Temporary to Permanent? A Qualitative Study About Settlement Decisions of German Professionals and Their Families on Assignment in the U.S."
  

  In a globalization context, highly skilled workers from developing and developed countries increasingly embark on foreign assignments with transnational companies. This qualitative study analyzes the role of the family in the migration decisions of German highly skilled workers/professionals to the United States. Comparing families who remained in the U.S. temporarily, those who settled, and recent arrivals who have not yet decided on their ultimate residence status, this study is based upon 68 in-depth interviews with both husbands and wives. Factors encouraging family?s to remain in the U.S. include the social embeddedness of men and children and women?s visa status and the transferability of their educational degrees. Influential factors for a return involve how established husbands and wives careers were in Germany, perceived problems or advantages with children's schooling, and care taking responsibilities for family members in Germany. Settlement is more likely to occur when both husbands and wives find prospects for themselves in the U.S. This study has several implications for immigration research. In prior research, wives have been described as ?tied migrants? with little influence on the migration decision. However, the findings here show that women do have an influential role in migration decisions and are not as ?tied? as commonly presumed. Second, families were highly motivated to integrate into American culture, supporting rapid assimilation of the 1.5 and second generation. However, German families did not participate in ethnic networks as transnational theory would suggest. Finally, personal interests (including cultural appeal and the flexibility of the American job market) were as important as economic reasons for relocation.

  Other Research Interests
  

  • Medical Sociology, infertility, impact of gender differences in health prevention
  • Aging, the elderly in immigrant communities

  Professional Experience

  • 2008 Dissertation Defense
  • 2005 Research Proposal Defense
  • 2002 ABD: Specialty Exam: Political Sociology
  • 2001 Specialty Exam: Sociology of Gender
  • 2000 M.A. Thesis: "Infertility Transition to Non-Parenthood?"
    Advisor: Professor Christine Bose
  • 1988 Degree in Nursing Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • 1983 Stateboard Exam as Registered Nurse, Unna, Germany

  Teaching

  • Sociology of Aging
  • Sociology of Gender
  • Introduction to Sociology

  Courses Fall 2008

  • Classical Sociological Theory, Gender, Research Methods

  • Conference Presentations

    • Paper presentation:
      Success Rates and Short-Term/Long-Term Health Risks of Infertility Treatment, Women and Society Conference, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2005
    • Paper Presentation with Gayle Sulik:
      What do Breast Cancer and Infertility have in common? Women Responses to Medicalization across Two Research Studies, American Sociological Association 100th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2005
    • Paper Presentation:
      Motherhood or Womenhood -- Representations of Working Women in the Press, Eastern Sociological Society 74th Annual Meeting, New York, NY, 2004
    • Roundtable Presentation:
      Changing Immigration Laws and Implications for Immigrants in Germany and the United States, Eastern Sociological Society 73rd Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2003
    • Roundtable Presentation:
      Infertility: Transition to Non-Parenthood?, Eastern Sociological Society 73rd Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2003
    • Paper Presentation:
      The Elderly as Portrayed in Commercials in the United States and Germany: A Blip on the TV-Screen?, American Sociological Association 97th Annual Meeting, Chicago IL, 2002

  Interesting Links

  • Sociology Websites
  • German Websites

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  Last updated on: July 4, 2008