Graduate Studies
First Advisor
Lindsay Hastings
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Committee Members
Jim Bovaird, L. J. McElravy, Mary Emery, Wayne Babchuk
Department
Human Sciences
Date of this Version
8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Citation
A dissertation presented to the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Major: Human Sciences (Leadership Studies)
Under the supervision of Professor Lindsay Hastings
Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025
Abstract
The turn of the 21st century has seen a new settlement pattern of immigrants bypassing traditional urban gateways and locating to rural spaces instead. Rural immigration presents a unique opportunity to advance the vitality of small towns as the development of communities is best served by a fully networked and integrated community. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of rural immigrants with community leadership. Research questions focused on how rural immigrants perceive, identify with, and access their local community leadership. Through one-on-one interviews, 10 participants provided rich qualitative data that were analyzed to yield textural, structural, and composite descriptions (Moustakas, 1994) of the shared phenomenon of community leadership. Findings reveal that rural immigrants experience community leadership as a broad practice of service meant for all members of the community, and not just a select few. This form of leadership as service typically emerged from participants’ lived experiences and personal histories. The experience of community leadership by rural immigrants also involves complexities in representation and challenges in developing immigrant leaders. This study offers significant contributions to theory, research, and practice. Future research should seek to include the voices of immigrants at all stages of arrival or integration into the community to inform more robust and tailored strategies for effective community development.
Advisor: Lindsay Hastings
Recommended Citation
Yeo, Jian Ju, "A Phenomenological Study of Rural Immigrants and Their Experiences of Community Leadership" (2025). Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–. 357.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissunl/357
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Migration Studies Commons, Rural Sociology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Comments
Copyright 2025, Jian Ju Yeo. Used by permission