Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

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Date of Award

1-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict Analysis and Resolution

First Advisor

Ismael Muvingi

Keywords

Acculturation and identity; Conflict Analysis and Resolution; Israeli professional women; Relocation and adaptation; Relocation challenges; Women expatriates

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Israeli professional women who relocated to the United States and examined the cultural, professional, emotional, relational, religious, and identity-based challenges they encountered. Guided by the central research question, “What challenges do Israeli professional women experience when they relocate to the United States?” the study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to examine how participants made meaning of their transitions and navigated adaptation, conflict, and identity reconstruction. Twelve Israeli professional women participated in the study. Participants ranged in age from 28 to 45 and represented diverse professional fields, including technology, education, healthcare, business, and nonprofit management. All participants were born and raised in Israel, had resided in the United States for at least six months, and were employed at the time of their interviews. Analysis produced five superordinate themes: navigating cultural and communication adaptation, professional identity and role negotiation, emotional and social well-being, coping and resilience strategies, and religious identity and safety concerns. The findings showed that relocation was not experienced as a single adjustment event but as an ongoing process of negotiating belonging, professional recognition, family responsibilities, cultural norms, and Jewish and Israeli identity within unfamiliar social and workplace systems. The findings indicate that successful integration requires more than individual resilience; it also requires culturally responsive, gender-sensitive, and identity-conscious support from organizations and communities. This study contributes to Conflict Analysis and Resolution by illustrating how cultural conflict, identity negotiation, and adaptation intersect within women’s expatriate experiences.

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