A Sociological Interpretation Of Jane's Immigration Experiences

Various reasons motivate people to leave their native countries. For a number of individuals, it is because of economic, political, and social factors, while for others, it is the matter of choice and opportunity. The following paper discusses the life of Jane and presents a sociological interpretation of her immigration experiences. For confidentiality and anonymity purposes, I will refer to the interviewee as Jane. Jane came to the United States in 2012. Since an early age, Jane was heavily involved in tennis since her parents wanted her to become a professional tennis player. When she was 18, she received an offer from Sierra College and Sacramento State University to play on the tennis team and pursue her studies in the U.S. As Jane recalls,
The social capital theory is an essential concept when examining policies and immigration processes. The social capital theory suggests, individuals with stronger connections, resources, and relationships are more likely to immigrate when compared to the individuals lacking those resources (Gutierrez, 02/01/2016). Likewise, Portes and Rumbaut (2014) suggest, when examining immigration patterns, social networks are crucial to the buildup of the migrating systems. For example, it is reasonable to conclude that Jane was born into a financially stable family because her parents invested in her human capital from an early age in the form of tennis. Therefore, Jane had a social network with strong connections and resources that elevated her athletic skills to an international level. She has traveled to Miami, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, and Russia to compete in the professional tennis tournaments. Similarly, after receiving an invitation from Sacramento State University and Sierra College, Jane and her family decided to use the opportunity. As a part of the process, Jane was required to pay the visa