Coming Home: Migration and Individuation

Abstract

This dissertation explores the concept of individuation, primarily focusing on its application to Salvadorans, and delves into the psychological journey of individuation as proposed by C. G. Jung. The study emphasizes the process of becoming one’s true self and achieving the conscious- unconscious union of opposites and one’s psychological wholeness. The discussion also extends into post-Jungian perspectives, such as James Hillman’s definition of individuation as finding a place to call home and give back to society. Through an autoethnographic and theoretical alchemical hermeneutic methodology, the dissertation’s narrative highlights the author’s personal experience of migration, particularly the author’s family’s journey from El Salvador to the United States and reflects on the emotional and psychological impact of dislocation, the search for a sense of home, and the complexities of identity for immigrants in a new environment. Finally, this dissertation explores the idea of the “global citizen,” advocating for the “Soul’s psychic life” of the individual to transcend national borders and embrace cultural diversities. It posits that the concept of hybridity and the notion of belonging to a global community symbolizes the internal individuation process for the immigrant.