Immigration Assimilation And The Cultural Construction Of American National Identity

Author : Shannon Latkin Anderson
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 254 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2015-11-19
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781317328766

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Immigration, Assimilation, and the Cultural Construction of American National Identity by Shannon Latkin Anderson Pdf

Over the course of the 20th century, there have been three primary narratives of American national identity: the melting pot, Anglo-Protestantism, and cultural pluralism/multi-culturalism. This book offers a social and historical perspective on what shaped each of these imaginings, when each came to the fore, and which appear especially relevant early in the 21st century. These issues are addressed by looking at the United States and elite notions of the meaning of America across the 20th century, centering on the work of Horace Kallen, Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Samuel P. Huntington. Four structural areas are examined in each period: the economy, involvement in foreign affairs, social movements, and immigration. What emerges is a narrative arc whereby immigration plays a clear and crucial role in shaping cultural stories of national identity as written by elite scholars. These stories are represented in writings throughout all three periods, and in such work we see the intellectual development and specification of the dominant narratives, along with challenges to each. Important conclusions include a keen reminder that identities are often formed along borders both external and internal, that structure and culture operate dialectically, and that national identity is hardly a monolithic, static formation.

Author : Peter Kivisto
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 144 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2018-04-19
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781134865925

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National Identity in an Age of Migration by Peter Kivisto Pdf

This collection explores, from a variety of angles, the beliefs of citizens and noncitizens about the impact that contemporary migration to the USA is having on American culture and on national solidarity. As in other liberal democracies that have experienced mass migration during the past several decades, there is considerable fear and anxiety in the USA about what newcomers are doing to the nation—economically, politically, and (especially) culturally. At the symbolic level, Americans largely embrace the idea that theirs is a nation composed of people from many different origins, but recent arrivals put to the test the extent to which the nation is actually prepared to embrace diversity. The six empirical studies in this volume are divided between those examining how citizens respond to immigrants—including right-wing populists, pragmatic multiculturalists, and immigrant advocates—and how immigrants in turn attempt to integrate into the receiving society. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Intercultural Studies.

Author : Robert L. Fleegler
Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
Page : 277 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2013-05-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9780812208092

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Ellis Island Nation by Robert L. Fleegler Pdf

Though debates over immigration have waxed and waned in the course of American history, the importance of immigrants to the nation's identity is imparted in civics classes, political discourse, and television and film. We are told that the United States is a "nation of immigrants," built by people who came from many lands to make an even better nation. But this belief was relatively new in the twentieth century, a period that saw the establishment of immigrant quotas that endured until the Immigrant and Nationality Act of 1965. What changed over the course of the century, according to historian Robert L. Fleegler, is the rise of "contributionism," the belief that the newcomers from eastern and southern Europe contributed important cultural and economic benefits to American society. Early twentieth-century immigrants from southern and eastern Europe often found themselves criticized for language and customs at odds with their new culture, but initially found greater acceptance through an emphasis on their similarities to "native stock" Americans. Drawing on sources as diverse as World War II films, records of Senate subcommittee hearings, and anti-Communist propaganda, Ellis Island Nation describes how contributionism eventually shifted the focus of the immigration debate from assimilation to a Cold War celebration of ethnic diversity and its benefits—helping to ease the passage of 1960s immigration laws that expanded the pool of legal immigrants and setting the stage for the identity politics of the 1970s and 1980s. Ellis Island Nation provides a historical perspective on recent discussions of multiculturalism and the exclusion of groups that have arrived since the liberalization of immigrant laws.

Author : Tomas Jimenez
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 294 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2017-07-18
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780520295704

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The Other Side of Assimilation by Tomas Jimenez Pdf

The (not-so-strange) strangers in their midst -- Salsa and ketchup : cultural exposure and adoption -- Spotlight on white : fade to black -- Living with difference and similarity -- Living locally, thinking nationally

Author : Pet Er
Publisher : GRIN Verlag
Page : 26 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2012-08-24
Category : Literary Collections
ISBN : 9783656262862

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The Changing Perception of America’s National Identity with Regard to Ethnic Diversity by Pet Er Pdf

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich Amerikanistik - Kultur und Landeskunde, , Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: “Fortunately, the time has long passed when people liked to regard the United States as some kind of melting pot, taking men and women from every part of the world and converting them into standardized, homogenized Americans. We are, I think, much more mature and wise today. Just as we welcome a world of diversity, so we glory in an America of diversity - an America all the richer for the many different and distinctive strands of which it is woven.” (Hubert H. Humphrey) This term paper deals with the reasons for the challenging task of defining America’s national identity and will introduce several historical concepts of defining this terminology. The aim of the following pages is to answer the question if the terms melting pot or salad bowl are truly reflecting a multicultural American society, if the myth of the American Dream includes all the various ethnicities living in the USA and if there is a unique national identity that is shared by the whole population of the U.S.

Author : Nicola Foote,Michael Goebel
Publisher : University Press of Florida
Page : 362 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2016-12-10
Category : History
ISBN : 9780813053295

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Immigration and National Identities in Latin America by Nicola Foote,Michael Goebel Pdf

"This groundbreaking study examines the connection between what are arguably the two most distinguishing phenomena of the modern world: the unprecedented surges in global mobility and in the creation of politically bounded spaces and identities."--Jose C. Moya, author of Cousins and Strangers "An excellent collection of studies connecting transnational migration to the construction of national identities. Highly recommended."--Luis Roniger, author of Transnational Politics in Central America "The importance of this collection goes beyond the confines of one geographic region as it offers new insight into the role of migration in the definition and redefinition of nation states everywhere."--Fraser Ottanelli, coeditor of Letters from the Spanish Civil War "This volume has set the standard for future work to follow."--Daniel Masterson, author of The History of Peru Between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, an influx of Europeans, Asians, and Arabic speakers indelibly changed the face of Latin America. While many studies of this period focus on why the immigrants came to the region, this volume addresses how the newcomers helped construct national identities in the Caribbean, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. In these essays, some of the most respected scholars of migration history examine the range of responses--some welcoming, some xenophobic--to the newcomers. They also look at the lasting effects that Jewish, German, Chinese, Italian, and Syrian immigrants had on the economic, sociocultural, and political institutions. These explorations of assimilation, race formation, and transnationalism enrich our understanding not only of migration to Latin America but also of the impact of immigration on the construction of national identity throughout the world. Contributors: Jürgen Buchenau | Jeane DeLaney | Nicola Foote | Michael Goebel | Steven Hyland Jr. | Jeffrey Lesser | Kathleen López | Lara Putnam | Raanan Rein | Stefan Rinke | Frederik Schulze

Author : Christina A. Ziegler-McPherson
Publisher : Working in the Americas
Page : 233 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2010-04
Category : History
ISBN : 0813035503

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Americanization in the States by Christina A. Ziegler-McPherson Pdf

"Makes a formidable contribution to U.S. immigration history by addressing historical and contemporary debates about national identity and the place of immigrants within American society."--Brian Gratton, Arizona State University "Deepens and clarifies our understanding of this understudied but very important social movement by comparing and contrasting those Americanization efforts aimed at protecting immigrants with those more coercive educational programs which we have previously thought to encompass the entire movement."--John F. McClymer, Assumption College In the first decades of the twentieth century, a number of states had bureaus whose responsibility was to help immigrants assimilate into American society. Often described negatively as efforts to force foreigners into appropriate molds, Christina Ziegler-McPherson demonstrates that these programs--including adult education, environmental improvement, labor market regulations, and conflict resolutions--were typically implemented by groups sympathetic to immigrants and their cultures. Americanization in the States offers a comparative history of social welfare policies developed in four distinct regions with diverse immigrant populations: New York, California, Massachusetts, and Illinois. By focusing on state actions versus national agencies and organizations, and by examining rural and western approaches in addition to urban and eastern ones, Ziegler-McPherson broadens the historical literature associated with Americanization. She also reveals how these programs, and the theories of citizenship and national identity used to justify their underlying policies, were really attempts by middle-class progressives to get new citizens to adopt Anglo-American, middle-class values and lifestyles. Christina A. Ziegler-McPherson is a public historian who lives in New Jersey.

Author : Tamara Schaub
Publisher : GRIN Verlag
Page : 33 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2008
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9783638886307

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The Problems of Immigration and Assimilation in a Multicultural Society by Tamara Schaub Pdf

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 2,0, University of Mannheim (Amerikanistik), course: A survey of contemporary America, 7 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The USA is sometimes called "land of the immigrants" or "the promised land". In early times immagrants from different origins and nationalities immigrated to the USA. That's why the USA developed to a multicultural society. There is the great idea of all people from different nations living together. America is designates as a "melting pot". This term tries to discribe the assimilation of immigrants into American life. Its literal meaning is a chemical one: several different elements melted together to form a new product. The idea was that immigrants would fuse together with the "old" Americans, giving up their old lifestyles and cultures to form one American nation. The motto " e pluribus unum" which still appears on American coins today, has been used since 1782, reflecting how even the early Americans saw their conuntry. But does a mutlicultural society system like this really work? That's the main point I will try to work out in my research paper. To get through this topic it needs to be defined very clearly what immigrations means in general and to describe briefly the immigration process from the early times till nowadays. This should be explained with some facts and figures to build the foundation of the following analysis. I will also show the reasons and problems of illegal immigration which is an important topic in the American society. That brings us to the next point the Hispanic Americans, which representativ for American immigrants. I will use The Hispanic Americans as an example to mark the assimilation problem of immigrants in the USA. Furthermore you can use this group of immigrants to explain the multicultural situation in the USA today. I will round off my work with the part of the conclusion and I

Author : Jack Citrin,David O. Sears
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2014-08-11
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780521828833

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American Identity and the Politics of Multiculturalism by Jack Citrin,David O. Sears Pdf

This book uses national public opinion data and public opinion data from Los Angeles to compare ethnic differences in patriotism and ethnic identity and ethnic differences in support for multicultural norms and group-conscious policies. The authors find evidence of strong patriotism among all groups and the classic pattern of assimilation among the new wave of immigrants.

Author : Roland Hagenbüchle,Josef Raab,Marietta Messmer
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 674 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Group identity
ISBN : IND:30000087812891

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Negotiations of America's National Identity by Roland Hagenbüchle,Josef Raab,Marietta Messmer Pdf

Author : Knud Krakau
Publisher : Lit Verlag
Page : 364 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 1997
Category : History
ISBN : STANFORD:36105019426647

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The American Nation, National Identity, Nationalism by Knud Krakau Pdf

Ever since Crevecoeur formulated his famous question, Americans have asked themselves: "What, then, is the American, this new man?", and even more urgently so once it became predictable that the traditionally majoritarian position of Anglo-Americans will dissolve in a sea of multi-ethnicity. What constitutes an American nation and produces collective identity among an extremely heterogeneous population? This comparative issue is addressed by sociologist Liah Greenfeld in her introductory essay. Other essays contributed by historians and political scientists from the U.S., England, and Germany discuss historical developments and phenomena which have led to regional or group-specific identities which, in complex ways, contribute to, and interact with American national identity and nationalism.

Author : Riva Kastoryano
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 239 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2021-08-10
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781400824861

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Negotiating Identities by Riva Kastoryano Pdf

Immigration is even more hotly debated in Europe than in the United States. In this pivotal work of action and discourse analysis, Riva Kastoryano draws on extensive fieldwork--including interviews with politicians, immigrant leaders, and militants--to analyze interactions between states and immigrants in France and Germany. Making frequent comparisons to the United States, she delineates the role of states in constructing group identities and measures the impact of immigrant organization and mobilization on national identity. Kastoryano argues that states contribute directly and indirectly to the elaboration of immigrants' identity, in part by articulating the grounds on which their groups are granted legitimacy. Conversely, immigrant organizations demanding recognition often redefine national identity by reinforcing or modifying traditional sentiments. They use culture--national references in Germany and religion in France--to negotiate new political identities in ways that alter state composition and lead the state to negotiate its identity as well. Despite their different histories, Kastoryano finds that Germany, France, and the United States are converging in their policies toward immigration control and integration. All three have adopted similar tactics and made similar institutional adjustments in their efforts to reconcile differences while tending national integrity. The author builds her observations into a model of ''negotiations of identities'' useful to a broad cross-section of social scientists and policy specialists. She extends her analysis to consider how the European Union and transnational networks affect identities still negotiated at the national level. The result is a forward-thinking book that illuminates immigration from a new angle.

Author : Desmond S. King
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 400 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2002-06-15
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780674039629

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Making Americans by Desmond S. King Pdf

In the nineteenth century, virtually anyone could get into the United States. But by the 1920s, U.S. immigration policy had become a finely filtered regime of selection. Desmond King looks at this dramatic shift, and the debates behind it, for what they reveal about the construction of an American identity. Specifically, the debates in the three decades leading up to 1929 were conceived in terms of desirable versus undesirable immigrants. This not only cemented judgments about specific European groups but reinforced prevailing biases against groups already present in the United States, particularly African Americans, whose inferior status and second-class citizenship--enshrined in Jim Crow laws and embedded in pseudo-scientific arguments about racial classifications--appear to have been consolidated in these decades. Although the values of different groups have always been recognized in the United States, King gives the most thorough account yet of how eugenic arguments were used to establish barriers and to favor an Anglo-Saxon conception of American identity, rejecting claims of other traditions. Thus the immigration controversy emerges here as a significant precursor to recent multicultural debates. Making Americans shows how the choices made about immigration policy in the 1920s played a fundamental role in shaping democracy and ideas about group rights in America.

Author : Amira Karam
Publisher : GRIN Verlag
Page : 23 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2019-04-11
Category : Literary Collections
ISBN : 9783668921696

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Who is american? A definition of American Identity by Amira Karam Pdf

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,7, University of Frankfurt (Main), language: English, abstract: This paper focuses on what it means to be an American and if it is possible for people and immigrants with different cultural backgrounds to acquire an American Identity. In want to find out if the American exceptionalism and its three dimensions give an impression of what it means to gain an American identity. Obviously, being American means to share the same values, but it is not clear if it means to also share the same citizenship. I take a close look at the idea of multiculturalism that challenges the current ideological solutions for equality and diversity in the United States, trying to answer the question whether multiculturalism is or is not a threat to the idea of an American Identity. The meaning and consequences of national identification have long been the subject of debate among philosophers, historian, and social scientist. The identification with the American country through national attachment, pride, and loyalty is self-evident for many Americans. A national identity shared by fellow citizen creates a sense of unity and a bond of solidarity. The question of what defines an identity or the American identity, to be specific, is not clarified. What is clear, however, is the important and vast difference between a patriot, who feels a sense of pride and love for his country, while the nationalist views his country as superior with a desire to dominate other countries. However, both are bond by their trust for the American values. Freedom, Truth, Justice and the American way of life.

Author : Randy Boyagoda
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 156 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2010-04-02
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781135862701

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Race, Immigration, and American Identity in the Fiction of Salman Rushdie, Ralph Ellison, and William Faulkner by Randy Boyagoda Pdf

Read together, novels from a contemporary world writer (Salman Rushdie) and two modern American authors (Faulkner and Ellision) depict a century-long transformation of how American identity and experience have been conceived and imagined; these changes are revealed in the fiction of encounters between immigrants and natives.