FROM CULTURAL DISSONANCE TO A SENSE OF BELONGING: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (IPA) OF EXPATRIATES RESIDING IN THAILAND

Abstract

This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences and internal psychological mechanisms of Western expatriates confronting cultural dissonance and negotiating their identities in the process of developing a sense of belonging within the Thai sociocultural context. Using purposive homogeneous sampling, four long-term expatriates with Germanic cultural backgrounds residing in Thailand were selected as participants. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed following the IPA procedures proposed by Smith et al. (2009). The findings revealed four major themes. First, cultural collisions arising from conflicting social logics led to identity erosion and psychological exhaustion. Second, participants' established value systems were challenged, resulting in self-vulnerability when confronted with incongruent cultural norms and standards. Third, sustainable adaptation emerged through the reclamation of internal agency, openness toward the new cultural context, and the development of a hybrid identity that enabled participants to preserve their original values while living within Thai society. Finally, participants cultivated a sense of belonging that led to inner equilibrium without the loss of their original identity.

Keywords: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Identity Negotiation, Genuine Self, Cultural Dissonance, Inner Equilibrium, Sense of Belonging