Cultural Models in Terms of Immigration, Research Paper Example

In the past two decades, the United States’ demography has drastically changed. Between 1970 and 1990, the US population increased by 24%. The population of Latin American increased by 141% to reach 9%, African America increased by 33% to reach 12%, while that of Asian American increased by 84.9% to reach 2.9% of the total population. The Native American population grew by 0.4 to reach 0.8%. Zhou, and Bankston (2006) notes the immigrant accounted for much of Asian American and Latino Americas population growth. According to Portes (2009),  about nine million immigrants entered US from 1970 to 1990.  The enormous changes in the US demographic composition in the recent past has once more refueled the debate of what it means to be an American. This paper analyses the views of pluralist, assimilations, and multicultural in a debate that influences immigration policies as well as the nature of America’s culture and the normative vision of the society.

Assimilation is a general term that can be used to refer to a process that can take a number of different pathways. One form of assimilation is expressed in a metaphor of the melting pot. This form refers to a process in which different groups come together and contribute in roughly equal amounts to create a common culture and a new unique society. Looking at the diverse cultural groups in US, one would think that the US assimilation resembles a melting pot. However, as Bean and Stevens (2006), suggest, before the 21^st century, Assimilation in US has been one sided process that is better described by the term Americanization or agro conformity. Rather than equal sharing of element and gradual blending of diverse people, assimilation was designed to maintain predominance of English language and British -like institution created during early year of American society. Portes (2009), reports that about 77% of American agree that America should require immigrants to be proficient in English. Interestingly, 60% of Hispanic America also agrees that immigrant need to learn English. However, it is important to note that the agreement of the need to learn English between Hispanic and white may be due to different reason. For some white the reason may be due to prejudice or support for Americanization, while the Hispanic may due to difficulties experienced in adapting in American society. Under the agro conformity, the immigrant groups are expected to adapt to Anglo-American culture to be accepted and access better jobs education and other opportunities. Assimilation has thus meant that the minority groups have to give out their culture and tradition and adopt the agro-America culture. These include learning English language, changing eating habits, adopting new values, system, and altering the spelling of their surname. To most of the minority, groups Americanization created conflict anxiety demoralization and resentment (Gordon, 2007)

Assimilation in US has been a powerful theme; however, this trend started to change gradually in the 21^st century. In fact, in the recent decade, interest in pluralism and ethnic diversity has increased. Zhou, and Bankston (2006), suggest the distinction among the racial minority group in the Americas society show few sign of decreasing or disappearing as predicted by some social theories. In fact, some minority groups are nowadays questioning the viability of assimilation. One of the reasons for the growing interest in pluralism is the increasing diversity of the US society. In addition, the increased interest in pluralism and ethnicity has been stimulated by the development around the globe. For instance, the recent event in India, the former soviet union, China and Africa have provided evidence that ethnic identities can persist across decade of submergence and suppression in larger national units. This is contrary to the view of some sociological theory that suggests that, with time, assimilation will lead to elimination of minority group culture.

According to Pluralism, model ethnic and racial difference should be allowed to thrive so long as such diversity does not threaten the dominant value and norms. Pluralism embraces racial as well as ethnic difference. It emphasis is on moral relativism, a social ethic rooted in tolerance of diversity rather than acceptance an appreciation of collective behavior that may contradict or threaten a dormant culture (Gordon, 2007).

Three type of pluralism can be observed among US immigrants. That is cultural pluralism, structure pluralism and integration without acculturation (Alba, 2005). Cultural pluralism occurs when groups have not adopted the dormant culture; the groups maintain its own identity. Good examples of such group include some Native Americans, and the Amish group. The groups speak different languages, practice different religions, and have different value systems. The groups are part of America society however; they live in a completely different world. Structural pluralism occurs where a group has adopted the American culture but does not have full and equal access of the institution of the larger society. The third, type of pluralism is integration without acculturation. This is normally observed in a group that had large material success but has not become Americanized. Two different situations can be used to illustrate this pattern. That is enclave of minority groups, which establish its neighborhood and relay on a set of interconnected business, for its economic survival. A good example of this is Cuban community in Florida and China towns found in many American cities. The other situation is intermediaries minority group that relay on small shops and retail firm, but unlike enclave, the business are dispersed throughout large areas. Some Chinese, Korean, Arabs, and Indian American business fit into this pattern. Bean and Stevens, (2006), notes the success of the enclave and intermediaries minorities is due to strong ties and mutual aid among the groups.

Although pluralism replaced assimilation as the popular model for the better part of 20^th century, it has been criticized due to its inefficiency in managing diversity. The critic argues that cultural mosaic foster essentialization and segregation, thus jeopardizing social equality and cohesion. In the recent past the debate of diversity and pluralism are couched in the language of multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism (MC) differs from assimilation and pluralism in a number of ways. First, multiculturalism recognizes multiplicity of legitimate cultural core or centers. Secondly, it acknowledges the cultural criterion beyond ancestry, or nationality as the source of group formation. Finally, multiculturalism promotes democratization and equity among groups. As Bean and Stevens (2006), observes, while assimilation and pluralism are founded on the maxima E, pluribus unum (from many, one), MC is founded on a new ethno- in one, many. The MC society is constituted not by many societies blending in to one but coexistence of many heritages and newly invented traditions into one nation. The perpetuation of heritage and new tradition enhance continuity, order and meaning to new comers while making it possible for them to participate as citizens in a common civil culture as constituted by the host State.

The current American society is in many ways a manifestation of MC society. First, MC is a neutral condition describing a neutral society and rooted in demographic reality. Cultural heterogeneity is a social fact in US. Increasingly our present day society is organized into conceptualization, regulation, and management of deferent cultural categories. MC acknowledges the presence of differentiations and subordination within the society. It also support that the support of ethnic minority must take note on in-group violation of human right. This is evidenced by the debate that while the government should support minority, it should not be at the expense of other groups. However, just like pluralism, MC has also been criticized due to inefficiency in managing diversity. The critic argues that cultural mosaic foster essentialization and segregation thus jeopardizing social equality and cohesion.

The current trend in US largely involves reconciling cultural diversity with social, economic, and political cohesion. This means there is a deliberate attempt to recognize the immigrant’s and minority groups. There is an attempt to give this group same civil rights and the same social economic opportunities as majority as well as valuing diversity (Alba, 2005). Some of the contentious issues in this effort includes how America can ensure that defense of deference does not limit equality; ensure that the defense for essential democratic principle does not limit the rights for popularity and how to recognize cultural minority. In other word, the tension between pluralism and the equality is at the center stage of the contemporary debate.

Personally, I believe that when the support for diversity occurs in with a framework of social political equality and interaction across cultural difference become developed as societal values the heterogeneous and dialogic space that occur will lead to overall grater social cohesiveness and not segregation or exclusion. Therefore, recognizing the human capacity and the need to relate in a multidirectional way is crucial to devising effective integrations model that leads to creation of more cohesive and equitable society.

References

Alba, R. (2005). Ethnic Identity: The Transformation of White America. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Bean, F. & Stevens, G. (2006). America’s Newcomers and the Dynamics of Diversity. New York: Russell Sage.

Gordon, M. (2007). Assimilation in American Life. New York: Oxford University Press.

Portes, A(2009). Legacies: The Story of the Immigrant Second Generation. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Zhou, M., & Bankston, C (2006). Growing Up American: How Vietnamese Children Adapt to Life in the United Statess. New York: Russell Sage.