Immigration, Social Infrastructure and Relationship Formation

Project Lead

Team Members

Gabrielle Abando (external link) , Frankie Cabahug, Suzanne Huot, Capri Ka Po Kong (external link)

Sub-Theme: Placemaking and Relationship Formation

Through studying and redesigning public spaces and social infrastructure, this sub-theme will enhance our understanding of building better places that foster friendship and relationship within communities, as well as between Indigenous people and the newcomer population.

Objective

Friendships are integral to immigrant experiences, and there is more complexity in friendship than in traditional assimilation approaches. Deepening our understanding of friendship formation processes will contribute to a complex understanding of social integration.

This study will explore how relationships formed through an effective use of public spaces and social infrastructure and their impact on social integration.

Research Questions

How do mediated processes within social infrastructures contribute to immigrant friendship formation and integration?
How do place-based community organizations structure interactions that may lead to relationship formation?
How do participants at place-based community organizations tell their own stories of connection and friendship?

Methodology

The research design adopts a comparative case study approach informed by community-engaged research practices. It employs mixed methods, including in-depth interviews, digital storytelling, and longitudinal qualitative research.

Outcomes

Publications and media:

Cai, M., Qian, Y., & Hu, Y. (2025). The efficiency paradox: A temporal lens into online dating among Chinese immigrants in Canada. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 42(8), 2167–2187. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251339257

Cosmopolitan social service organizations: A scoping review. iSquared Lab. May 2025. https://isquaredlab.ca/publications/ (external link)

“‘Efficiency Trap’: Can online blind dating help users find a partner quickly?” WeChat, June 3, 2025. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jf7XSzGIw3W_wwiIzMn6cA (external link)

Rolfsen, E. (2024, February 12). Dating in the digital age: How online dating changes our partner selection. UBC News. https://news.ubc.ca/2024/02/online-dating-partner-selection/ (external link)

Past events and conferences:

“Intersections of belonging: Friendship dynamics among Chinese LGBTQ+ migrants in Canada and the US,” presented by Yang, T., & Lauer, S., Canadian Sociological Association Annual Conference, Montreal, June 2024.
“Immigrant friendships and social integration: A study of friendship networks and sense of belonging,” presented by Kong, C., & Lauer, S., Immigrant Social Networks Conference, Montreal, 2024.
“Tao Po!: An exploration of the role of Filipino-Canadian neighbourhoods in the anchoring and cultivating Filipino-Canadian community,” presented by Abando, G. I., Canadian Sociological Association Annual Conference, 2024.
“Immigrant experiences in cosmopolitan organizations: A scoping review,” presented by Cabahug, F., Eckmyn, T., Yan, M. C., Wong, K., & Lauer, S., Canadian Association of Social Work Educators Annual Conference, Montreal, November 2024.
Various presentations to staff, board members, and members at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House, 2024.