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Constructing Action: An Analysis of the Roles of Third Sector Actors During the Implementation of the Dominican Republic’s Regularization Plan

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Abstract

This article explores the experiences of third sector development actors and the actions that they took during the Dominican Republic’s National Regularization Plan for Foreigners until its expiration in the summer of 2015. The study employs an interpretivist approach that assumes that third sector development actors construct their roles through an interactive process based on their co-created interpretations and negotiated meanings ascribed to factors, conditions, and situations related to the regularization plan. Data were gathered from December 2015 to July 2016 from 19 semi-structured interviews with third sector development actors, who work with members of the Haitian immigrant community. Using constructivist grounded theory methods, the analysis identifies four key roles of third sector actors in the documentation process that incorporate guidance, support, collaboration, and accompaniment. This research elevates the importance of third sector organizations in responding to immigrant documentation issues.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants for their time and insights.

Funding

This study was funded by The University of Toledo’s College of Languages, Literature and Social Sciences, Summer Research Awards and Fellowship Program through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and Center for International Studies and Program’s Kohler International Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The University of Toledo, 2801 Bancroft St., Toledo, OH, 43606, USA

    Karie Jo Peralta & Elissa Vaitkus

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  1. Karie Jo Peralta
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  2. Elissa Vaitkus
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Correspondence to Karie Jo Peralta.

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Peralta, K.J., Vaitkus, E. Constructing Action: An Analysis of the Roles of Third Sector Actors During the Implementation of the Dominican Republic’s Regularization Plan. Voluntas 30, 1319–1331 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-018-0003-1

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