Differences and Similarities Between Assimilation, Ethnic Pluralism, and Transnationalism for Immigrants, Essay Example

Being an immigrant in a foreign country requires a person to be more than just adaptive. He also needs to be tough to face the specific uncomfortable situations related to his current condition as he tries to fit in within the new society he is trying to embrace. This fact is especially true when it comes to learning a new language and living within a new culture that the natives of the foreign land recognize (Myers, et al, 2007). There are specific procedures of fitting into the society that immigrants are specifically expected to take note of.

One of the said procedures includes assimilation. The need to assimilate or to adjust is necessity among immigrants. There are different types of assimilation that immigrants need to give attention to; one is that of language assimilation, and another is cultural assimilation (AEPM, Lecture). Language assimilation specifically points out the condition by which immigrants try to learn the language of the local residents. Aiming to understand and hoping to be understood by others, these immigrants try their best to communicate in the native language used in the land.

Ethnic pluralism on the other end intends to create a distinct community that particular immigrants would belong to. Most often than not, the members of the said community belong to the same nationality. It is a manner of setting up a community within a community so as to help the members of a particular race survive the conditions of living in a foreign land (Passel, 2007). A perfect example of this is that of New York City’s population which holds several hundreds of ethnic and immigrant communities which the people consider as their comfort zone especially when it comes to surviving in a new society (Pearce, 2006).

Transnationalism is also a process of survival among immigrants. This process involves becoming nationalistically connected to the new society, while not necessarily abandoning the value of being a civilian of his own original birth place (Lecture: TMI). Through this, instead of simply becoming immersed to the lifestyle and the culture of the people in the new community, it is relatively effective that these individuals retain their original identity while also becoming more endowed to the condition of living and culture that they have to consider as they chose to remain in the new country they find most welcoming.

True, these strategies entail to present one single goal; to be able to adapt to the host society that immigrants choose to remain in. Being able to adapt to the system of living, the culture as well as the policies of the host country would make it easier for immigrants to survive in a foreign country. Noting that they would want to become a part of the said community, they have to make relative adjustments in their lifestyle as well as their attitude to make sure that they would be able to conduct themselves properly in the new society they are trying to immerse in. This way, they would be able to avoid being treated as aliens to the land thus making it easier for them to find jobs and sustenance that could support their living conditions in the country.

Considering the overall context of the discussion, it could be observed how immigrants, specifically in the United States, are finding effective ways to survive a new life that they have entered in. Relatively, the need for the said ways being adapted by the immigrants is vital to their desire of survival. Noting the systems and the culture of the new society they would want to embrace provides them with a better option of defining their path towards success as they take on a new challenge of living in a new city or new country for good.

References

Assimilation and Ethnic Pluralism/Multiculturalism. Lecture Notes.

Myers, Dowell. Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America. Russell Sage Foundation, 2007.

Passel, Jeffrey S. Growing Share of Immigrants Choosing Naturalization. Pew Hispanic Center, March 2007.

Pearce, Susan C. Immigrant Women in the United States: A Demographic Portrait. Immigration Policy Center, American Immigration Law Foundation, Summer 2006.

Transnational Migration and Identity. Lecture.

Zolberg, Aristide. A Nation by Design: Immigration Policy in the Fashioning of America. Harvard University Press, 2006.