Vietnamese Youth in New Orleans, Essay Example

In “Social Capital and the Adaptation of the Second Generation: The Case of Vietnamese Youth in New Orleans”, the author conducts a geographic study to determine whether social capital contributes to or hinders the adaptation of the younger generation into American society. This research question is clearly stated and thoroughly explored throughout the document. It is likely that the author, Min Zhou, decided to partake on this research study due to cultural interest. Dr. Min Zhou is a Professor of Sociology & Asian American Studies, Walter and Shirley Wang Endowed Chair in U.S.-China Relations and Communications, and the founding chair of Asian American Studies Department at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a consequence, this study fits in well with her life work and attempts to solve larger questions about international migration, ethnic and racial relations, immigrant entrepreneurship, education and the new second generation, Asia and Asian America, and urban sociology.

The main theory that was provided and clearly established was the belief that Vietnamese youth typically uphold traditional family values, have a good work ethic, and are devoted members of their community. Dr. Zhou believes that these factors are related to success in school and future careers and are causing factors of integration. The literature review was used to demonstrate this phenomenon in different cultures where family and cultural values are emphasized. This was relevant towards the research question because it provided the context in which the research question would be explored.

The research design included use of census data, news reports, and interviews with members of the community. It was clearly presented and stated. The specific data collection tools that were used were surveys of Vietnamese youth attending a public school in New Orleans. The author clearly described the population of the school and provided a background explaining which Vietnamese individuals were an idea representation of the second generation. The author appears to abide by all ethical standards because permission was obtained to acquire and use the data.

This article has teaching implications for not just Vietnamese students, but all students. It showed that students who have closer ties with their family and community are more likely to do well in school. While these values are unique to some cultures, it is likely that a good work ethic and encouragement to succeed exists in many cultures. It is therefore important for educators to take advantage of this in a manner that will allow all of their students to succeed. The conclusion is compatible with the data analysis because the data analysis indicates prevalent factors among the study group. The conclusion states that strong positive cultural immigrant orientations serves as a form of social capital that promotes conformity and integration.

The limitations of the study are noted. Firstly, this study is only internally valid because it examined one geographic region. It would be necessary to perform this study on a larger scale to determine if this conclusion is true for all Vietnamese populations living in the United States. In addition, survey responses and interviews may contributed to biased results. The area of this study I found most interesting concerns the connection between family ties and high academic achievement. It would be interesting to explore this topic further to determine how encouraging students to form tighter family ties could lead to increased academic performance.