Closing the Loop Janet Blomberg Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the start of research on third-culture kids (TCKs) and their families. There have been several waves of research. Dr. Ruth Useem, sociologist at Michigan State University (MSU), launched the first wave in the late 1950s. The second wave began in the missions’ community, and centered on the work of MK-CART/CORE. Currently, we are in the third wave of research with studies being done on all aspects of the MK/TCK experience.
Dr. Ruth Useem and TCK Research (1968-1986) Dr. Useem coined the term “third-culture kids” in the late 1950s, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that it appeared in the research. She coined the term after she and her family spent several years in India studying the expat community there. While she worked with adults who were part of the missions’ community, the military, the diplomatic corps, and international corporations, it was their children who caught her attention. She understood that they experienced both the benefits and challenges of being a TCK, but that their lives weren’t like those of their peers in their passport culture. Because of her position at MSU, Useem was able not only to study TCKs herself, but to encourage and direct research by others. Her students produced nine dissertations starting in the 1960s. Over the years (1968-1986), more than 30 dissertations and research studies were conducted by students of Dr. Useem. 1 (Cottrell, 2009). During the early years, the literature on TCKs was dominated by insightful personal reflections and autobiographical pieces by ATCKs who generally were trying to process, understand and describe their childhood experiences. Research was needed. Consequently, Useem and others conducted research studies to expand the understanding of TCKs and their lives, choices, and the implications of their childhood experiences. They also shifted their research focus to more than just returning to the States to start college to questions of identity, the impact of sponsoring organizations, etc. 2 (Cottrell, 2009).
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MK-CART/CORE Era of MK Research (1987-2000) It was during this period (1968-1986) that the first research began in the mission’s community. Initially, several studies were conducted, and dissertations published. In the 1980s, two separate and unrelated tracks gave impetus to the creation of MK-CART/CORE. One track was the launching of the Mental Health in Missions conferences. It began as an informal gathering led by Dr. David Wickstrom and Dr. John Powell. Over time, this developed into an annual conference for mental health professionals, caregivers, researchers, and others. The other track was a series of three International Conference on Missionary Kids (ICMK) that were held in Manila, Quito, and Nairobi during the 1980s. These conferences put a spotlight on the needs of MKs and led to a desire for research-based information.
“There is no evidence of on-going research programs focused on missionary families and children and this area relies on graduate students who conduct one-time studies. A need exists for more collaborative efforts such as the one modeled by MK—CART/CORE” Dale Hawley In March 1987, following the ICMK conference in Quito, MK-CART/CORE was formed. (Dr. David Wickstrom described this in the preceding article as well as the three major studies they conducted: The Boarding School Personnel Study, The Adult Missionary Kids Study, and the Missionary Family Study.) The hope was that the CART/CORE research would give mission organizations
