Assimilation
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This chapter focuses on the current wave of immigrants to the United States and issues stimulated by the newcomers: Non-Hispanic, Arab Americans, Middle Easterners, and Africans. Non-Hispanic from the Caribbean includes Haitians and Jamaicans. They are driven by economic needs or political refugees, but they all face racism and discrimination. Arab Americans tend to be centered in economic enclaves. After 9/11 this group became target for hate crimes and security concerns. Still relatively small groups in the United States are immigrants from Africa. Immigrant groups experience three different modes of incorporation: primary labor market, secondary labor market, and enclave. Issues between immigrants and the larger society are cost and benefits, undocumented immigrants, and speed of assimilation. The larger society wants to know if these new comers assimilation will be segmented or will it follow the pathway established by pervious Europe immigrants.
Minorities whether it is a newcomer or traditional still face many issues. Minorities with low income face marginal access to education, job opportunities, decent housing, and a good health care. Racism and discrimination hasnt declined, but merely changed form. Gender issues and sexism still remain. Minority women are the most vulnerable and exploited segments of society. Newcomers need to find ways to pursue their self-interest in society. If we can overcome all of this issues than we will become divers fully integrated society.
I think minorities assimilate at different rates. While some minorities do completely assimilate, others prefer to acculturate. Many believe assimilation is necessary in order to succeed. I defer from that. I think it is possible for minorities to live in between their cultural and dominate cultural and succeed. As a matter of fact I think it gives them an advantage over the dominate group. The United States make it possible to assimilate, but it also makes it impossible. Theres just so much diversity that minority have constructed enclave, therefore, instead of assimilating they have acculturated. It is common for American minority groups, especially racial minority groups, to be acculturated but not integrated. Like I said before; it is possible to completely assimilate to this society, but it is also possible to acculturate and hold on to your heritage.