Chapter 2
Acculturation Theories and Models

The first chapter states that this research is a study of the acculturation phenomenon in a particular socio-cultural context provided by the East-West Center in Honolulu.Relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical studies are reviewed in this chapter to show how the bi-dimensional theoretical paradigm was formed and evolved.This chapter starts from an overview of the acculturation field to gauge the current study and puts it into perspective.Then, the evolution of theoretical models and debates are reviewed to show what valuable understanding has been gained from decades of systematic research.The scope of the dominant framework and its limitations are also discussed as a basis for the network approach argument.