The Culture and Assimilation of Ethnic Groups
Examining how different cultures are incorporated into a single society can offer insight into the ethnic group relations of that society. There are different ways in which ethnic groups experience assimilation, depending on the ethnic group’s origins in society. Many ethnic groups immigrate to a new country—often fleeing conflict in their home country—to make a better life for themselves and their families. Many ethnic groups perceive the United States as a country with greater economic, political, and social opportunities, and therefore, many immigrate to the country. Conversely, other ethnic groups are considered native or indigenous to a country and contact other ethnic groups through colonization: for example, Native American tribes in North America under British colonization. In both cases, ethnic minorities are expected to assimilate to the culture and behaviors of the majority, dominant group.
In the Final Paper, you will investigate the connection between culture, assimilation, and ethnic relations in society. A spectrum of possibilities exists when considering the degree to which ethnic groups assimilate to mainstream society, from completely adopting the new culture to maintaining their own cultural traditions and differences. Meaningful cultural symbols, such as traditions surrounding food, cooking, and eating, play a role in how ethnic groups both assimilate to new cultural norms and maintain their own unique traditions. They also assist in measuring the degree to which assimilation has occurred.
In your paper, include the following sections/components:
Introduction (two to three pages): Define the concept of assimilation and explain what happens to an ethnic group’s culture when they follow a model of full assimilation, evaluate how the degree to which an ethnic group assimilates contributes to and reinforces existing ethnic hierarchies, and explain if mainstream society is more welcoming to newcomers if they assimilate or if they retain some of their own cultural customs.
Body (about four to five pages): Explain how assimilation differs for ethnic groups that immigrate to a new country versus indigenous ethnic groups and analyze how cultural symbols—such as food—play a role in assimilation. The body of your paper should address the following:
In what ways are immigrant groups expected to assimilate to mainstream culture? Why is assimilation to mainstream culture encouraged? In other words, why are ethnic groups encouraged to adopt the culture of their new home rather than maintain their own cultural traditions?
Describe how the United States government forced the assimilation of Native American children. What purpose did this forced assimilation serve and whom did it benefit? What might today resemble if Native Americans had not been forced to assimilate?
Researchers often measure the degree to which an ethnic group has assimilated by looking at cultural practices: things like food, dress, and language. Explain, using the resources provided, the importance of food as a cultural symbol for ethnic groups. Why might an immigrant group resist adopting to the cultural food norms of the mainstream culture? What strategies do immigrant groups use to overcome this? What do the traditions surrounding food (e.g., who cooks it, how it is prepared and served, when and where it is eaten, etc.) reveal about an ethnic group’s culture? How can food, and the customs surrounding it, facilitate greater peace and understanding between ethnic groups?
Conclusion (two pages): Provide an example of your own ethnic or racial traditions surrounding food. Where did these traditions come from? How far removed are you from your ancestors who first immigrated to this country? If you were to move to a new country today, would you want to maintain these traditions or would you be willing to give them up to assimilate to the customs of your new home? What is another cultural symbol that an ethnic group may want to keep rather than assimilate into mainstream culture? To sum up the Final Paper, why are cultural symbols so important to ethnic groups?
https://publicpolicy(dot)stanford(dot)edu/news/what-history-tells-us-about-assimilation-immigrants
https://www(dot)history(dot)com/news/how-boarding-schools-tried-to-kill-the-indian-through-assimilation
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=EmNgLK-TDWY
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=aXami4BHGOc
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=-eyROTdBUs4
Culture and Assimilation of Ethnic Groups
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Culture and Assimilation of Ethnic Groups
Assimilation refers to the procedure by which a specific culture embraces another culture’s principles, norms, and values that resemble the dominant group. Communication and interaction with the community while introducing some cultural features result in the adoption of new attitudes and customs by the immigrants. Despite being a progressive change of multiple factors, the adaptation process can either be force or automatic. Various groups, such as the immigrants population, can decide to incorporate a different culture for numerous reasons like political advantage or comprehended advantages. However, the assimilation process can be driven by imperialistic conquest, population change, or immigration.
Complete adaptation occurs when the new population cannot be distinguished from the original group. The ethnic group’s culture disappears after complete assimilation, and there are no identifiable differences in the formerly distinct group. The minority immigrants community adopts the majority’s culture, thus following their values, habits, and ideologies. For example, the European experience arriving in the United States during the 20th century indicates that complete adaptation occurs within four generations. However, there is no specific duration that governs the proceedings. The United States portrays a perfect image of how the extent to which cultural adaptation results and strengthens the existing culture. Assimilation reinforces the existing ethnic hierarchies due to the extended presence of immigrants in a new environment. As immigrants adjust to the new environment, they contribute to the growth of the new culture. For example, the Europeans that moved to the United States during the 1880s and 1920 enjoyed various opportunities, as indicated in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (Wimmer, 2017). As a result, they could easily adjust to the new American lifestyle without any challenges. The example suggests how mainstream society welcomes visitors if they absorb their cultural practices. However, since opportunities were limited, the mainstream culture did not accept other people.
Assimilation is considered a liner-changing procedure that happens over a certain period. However, some minority groups can encounter disruption due to institutional barriers based on their inclination. Different levels of equality can affect the cultural boundaries between various communities. For example, cultural restrictions can increase when the difference in power among multiple groups’ members is high. Individuals who segregate themselves from the rest of the population manage to exercise adequate impact on the economic or political resources to control ethnic borders and cause assimilation difficult for other communities (Wimmer, 2017). Group differentiation plays a significant role in cultural variations. Individuals who distinguish themselves from others increase the boundaries by imposing new superiority features.
The differentiation strengthens the boundaries leading to further cultural differentiation. It also promotes repositioning, which is a strategy that supports the principles’ power to an extent they cannot be disputed. The principles focus on changing their position within the existing boundary system class. Repositioning in a multi-tier hierarchy system results in an individual desire for change (Wimmer, 2017). Assimilation and repositioning are the main approaches that individuals or groups can apply to shift sides and fight stigma. There is multiple social setting where the two factors can be practiced, such as the Jewish converts during the 19th century in Europe.
Mainstream Culture Assimilation
Assimilation is considered a linear procedure of continuous change and advancement to the new population. Immigrants adjust to the general culture and get habituated to the primary culture. The unspoken deficit model stipulates the general hypothesis that immigrants must become Americas to advance socially and economically in the United States and challenge their new culture and language weaknesses. The assumption argues that individuals came to America freely and were willing to follow American culture and resemble the American population after a certain period (Kushnirovich & Sherman, 2017). Immigrants in the United States originate from different corners of the world, although a large group comes from Asia and Latin America. The two regions have considerable differences in language and culture compared to other groups located in America. As a result, assimilation helps immigrants adopt the dominant culture’s language, history, and economic success.
According to Kushnirovich and Sherman (2017), immigrants are expected to abandon their old culture and adapt to the new one. Some might even relinquish all ties connected to their previous homes. The new community members are inspired to adopt multiple elements of the new culture to facilitate a smooth life in the new surroundings. The central concept depicts that choosing to become an American distinguishes individuals in the nation to enjoy the economic advantages associated with acquiring a new national identity. Immigrants are sometimes required to maintain some traditions, mainly when the rules are beneficial to the community. For example, immigrants promote America’s development, ranging from cultivation to technological innovation. Also, they are rarely involved in crimes like the indigenous Americans. The nation has realized that immigrants possess some essential values, and they are not required to adjust their cultures to suit America unless the immigrants decide to change.
Native American Children Assimilation
The United States’ attempt to assimilate the Indians in the 1800s is among the lessons taught by history about assimilation. The United States passed the Dawes Severalty Act that provided free land and help to Indian households that decided to abandon their tribe and join the American culture by becoming sovereign farmers. The process attempted to introduce western civilization by killing the Indian culture inside the Native Americans. They were expected to change their names and appearances, cut their hair, and embrace different customs to fit into the western culture. The administration held the mindset and practiced it by forcing native children into assimilation boarding schools in the 1800s (Little, 2018). The administration had positive objectives since it provided better opportunities to Indian children while implementing the program.
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