...Assimilation is the process by which immigrants become part of the mainstream culture of their new country, lessening the differences between immigrants and native born Americans. Research often distinguishes between cultural assimilation, in which ethnic and cultural norms from the previous country become less prevalent, and other factors such as socioeconomic success and educational equity, referred to under the umbrella of structural assimilation. Assimilation, especially cultural assimilation, has been a controversial debate in American policy making, affecting education, health policy, and other areas. Previously, many believed that total assimilation was necessary for the healthy functioning of American society. Today, many embrace multicultural or segmented assimilation theories, which view multiculturalism and distinct ethnic identity as a strength rather than a weakness. Immigration and assimilation is a divisive topic that has been heavily debated in America ever since we became a country. There are two stories that explore the assimilation issue from different viewpoints’; in Mary Pipher’s story; “The Beautiful Laughing Sisters – An Arrival Story”; provides the viewpoint of immigrants leaving a hostile home for America. Elizabeth Wong details her journey to break with her culture and become Americanized in, “The Struggle to be an all American girl.” and (McWhorter, 2010 pp522-529). At debate today is whether immigrants and their families should blend into American...
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...In Crapo, R.H. (2013). Cultural anthropology; Assimilation is defined as; the process by which a society experiencing acculturation changes so much that it is hardly distinguishable from a more dominant one. My interpretation to this is; in a dominant society, the predominant is transformed to be politically and economically dependent on that dominant society, whether by force or other means. What was most surprising to me about the film Indian school: stories of survival was, the process of assimilation was not that long ago. Many who endured this process during this era were still alive during this recording to give recollections of the stories and events that took place. I found it appalling that these young children where rip away from their homes by the American government, and placed into boarding schools to be “ assimilated” so that the Native Americans would loose their culture adopting ours, making it easier for them to rule and control, using young children for their labor and abilities. This process cause many long-term affects, such as learning and parenting skills as well as segregation, causing a once proud and powerful people to be broken and scattered, which is still affecting the to date. The process of assimilation can never be justified, it takes a way whatever morals and beliefs a society was built on and destroying a people only to reprogram them to act according to how the more dominant society sees fit. This is horrible, and is still happening...
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...When one assimilates into a new culture, they are often conflicted because they are put into a setting that they are not accustomed to. People who are put into a new environment often want to feel like they are a part of the new culture and not feel alienated. By letting go of some of the old traditions and culture, they are allowing themselves to experience and adapt to a new environment. Even though parts of the old culture are lost, a new cultural experience is being created which helps widens their perspective. Although things like language and cultural traditions are lost, assimilating allows for people to gain a new way of understanding the world around them as well as create new traditions. Assimilating allows for a person to experience new things that they otherwise wouldn’t have if they didn’t. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, Ashima and Ashoke are exposed to the American life and it changes their view of how different their life is in their Bengali culture compared to the American culture. The change takes on a bigger toll for Ashima as she has to live in a life that she is unprepared for. When Ashima gives birth to Gogol, she realizes how difficult it would be for her to raise her son in an environment that is completely foreign to her. Although she still tries to get accustomed to the new culture, she often finds ways to preserve some of her old Bengali traditions such as when she and Ashoke are deciding a name for Gogol or when they celebrate Gogol’s annaprasan....
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...Assimilation and Multiculturalism Midterm Reena S. Glover SS 310 Herzing University Dr. I. Hunt August 1, 2013 An assimilation and multicultural society that we are living in is taking on new meaning of what was, is, and will be to be an American. At one time, North America was the land of Native Americans who had their own customs that eventually was invaded by the Europeans. A set of people that when they came over to North America, had to be led by the Native Americans and the ways of their land to survive. Once the Europeans began to master the land, they took the land little by little from the Native Americans and changed it to their own way of living. They then incorporated their way of living on the new land, even with slavery. Taking from others what didn’t belong to them, making change and calling it their own. The Europeans are what we call modern day bullies. One particular culture, African was a group that was assimilated by the Europeans. They were stripped of their customs and forced to live the way that Europeans wanted them to live. Africans lost the rich heritage of their color and culture. Their color was assimilated, and the range of the melanin of their skin went from a heavy dark color to have very faint light color and many shades in between. This happened because the slave’s master raped and bedded the African women. This wasn’t an instant change in color, but over time, the color changed. What was meant for bad and pleasure for “the man”...
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...According to the textbook, “Assimilation is the gradual adoption of the characteristics of another group” (pg. 209). This method was not popular among parts of the southwest where the populace was not dominated by Mexican Americans. However, the Mexican Americans assimilated when they knew that the outcome would benefit their own personal interests. They also tended to assimilate when there was a common enemy between both them and the Anglos. No group should want to take on an identity other than the one they currently have, however, at times it is a crucial tactic used to protect special interests or cultures. This was the case for the Californios during a period of harsh farming conditions. “The Californios, then, played Yankee politics in...
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...Dev Sharma Amy Forrest MCWP 40 21st October 2016 Immigrant Assimilation The question of how to assimilate in a new country is of paramount importance to an immigrant and also to the country they’re moving to. The articles, ‘Should immigrants assimilate?’ by Alejandro Portes and Min Zhou, and ‘Debating Immigration’ by Mary C. Waters, claim the process of assimilation is a complex one and has multiple factors influencing it which can have lasting impact on generations of immigrants. However, Portes and Zhou go into specific details about and case studies Waters claims that the second generation’s prosperity and social status depends on how the first generation assimilates and social situation in which they are in. Portes and Zhou build on this...
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...Department Assimilation of Consonants in English and Assimilation of the Definite Article in Arabic By Hamada Shehdeh Abid Dawood حمادة داود Supervised by Dr. Ahmad Atawneh 2013/2014 Assimilation of Consonants in English and Assimilation of the Definite Article in Arabic Abstract This paper aims at discussing the term assimilation. Assimilation is a phonological process where a sound looks like another neighboring sound. It includes progressive, regressive, coalescent, full and partial assimilation. In addition, contextual assimilation is subject to the environment of sounds where historical assimilation is resulted from the development of languages. In Arabic, it is clear that the /l/ sound in the definite article disappears if followed by coronal consonants. It is, however, concluded that the importance of assimilation is to make pronunciation of a word or speech easier. 1. Introduction Assimilation is an everyday occurrence in every human language, and it is particularly common for nasal sounds (McMahon, 2002, p. 4). Thus, sounds in the environment of other sounds, across morpheme and word boundaries tend to undergo various phonological changes referred to as phonological processes (Ofulue et al, 2010, p. 49). Making a sound more like another in the same or next word in continuous utterance is called assimilation (Oxford Dictionary, 2008). Assimilation usually occurs because two sounds share common features in place or manner. Thus, assimilation of consonants...
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...Assimilation is necessary to be part of the dominant culture, although one doesn’t have to completely lose their cultural roots. In Amy Tan’s Fish Cheeks. she struggles with her cultural differences where she begins to develop feelings for an American boy. She becomes ashamed of who she is, she wants “to be the same as American girls on the outside” (7) Tan wants to change to become more American so that she doesn’t seem so Chinese to the minister’s son, that is why she felt ashamed when her family was showing very heavy Chinese manners. Although she later realizes that “ inside [she] must always be Chinese. Must be proud [she is] different” (7). With the help of her mother Tan comes to terms that she didn’t have to lose her culture or to...
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...Assimilation theory refers to the functioning within a society of racial or ethnic minority-group members who no longer possess any marked cultural, social, or personal differences from the people of the dominant group (2016). Racial groups lose their importance through assimilation. The different types of assimilation are cultural assimilation, marital assimilation, and structural assimilation. For example, a Hispanic man moves his family to America and stops celebrating Hispanic holidays such as Cinco de Mayo or Day of the Dead. These holidays are known in the Hispanic community. However, they start celebrating holidays such as July 4th Independence Day. The equation is A+B+C=A. Amalgamation theory or melting pot refers to a diverse individual...
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...What is the definition of assimilation? Assimilation is a term referring to another part of the adaption process. Through assimilation, we take in new information or experiences and incorporate them into our existing ideas. What happened to the Native Americans in the film? They came in and took their kids and put them into boxcars. They shipped them to different boarding schools. They made them work all day and nothing they did was good enough. They took there families away and converted their lives to match their beliefs. They were beaten and raped. Some of the children never made it back home to their families. Why did the American government decide to assimilate them into western culture? They brought them from their homes so they could have free labor and make money off their abilities. It was also used as a way to disenfranchise Native Americans from their land, culture and identities so they would forget who they were and where they came from. How did this affect them long term? When they got old enough to leave they turned to drinking, drugs and prostitution. Many had to seek counseling because they had no love and affection, when they had children they treated them the way they were treated at the boarding school. It will affected the Native American population for generations to come. Is acculturating others into another culture ever justified? No, it is never justified. It takes away people’s freedom of choice, religion and culture. It takes away who they are...
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...SCHEMATA A schema (pl. schemata or schemas), is a mental structure that represents some aspect of the world. People use schemata to organize current knowledge and provide a framework for future understanding. Schemata influence our attention, as we are more likely to notice things that fit into our schema. If something contradicts our schema, it may be encoded or interpreted as an exception or as unique. Thus, schemata are prone to distortion. They influence what we look for in a situation. They have a tendency to remain unchanged, even in the face of contradictory information. We are inclined to place people who do not fit our schema in a "special" or "different" category, rather than to consider the possibility that our schema may be faulty. As a result of schemata, we might act in such a way that actually causes our expectations to come true. Schemata can influence and hamper the uptake of new information (proactive interference), such as when existing stereotypes, giving rise to limited or biased discourses and expectations (prejudices), may lead an individual to "see" or "remember" something that has not happened because it is more believable in terms of his/her schema. For example, if a well-dressed businessman draws a knife on a vagrant, the schemata of onlookers may (and often do) lead them to "remember" the vagrant pulling the knife. Such distortion of memory has been demonstrated. A schema for oneself is called a "self schema". Schemata for other people are called...
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...ate very seasoned food that was unusual for locals. Also the author wrote about assimilating the immigrants by the government. I highlighted the main question of the text: What makes an immigrant a citizen? And I surely know the answer. It is Assimilation, that includes a lot of things. First of all, to assimilate an immigrant must speak local language in his everyday life. Language is the most important part of assimilation. Without speaking local language, like English in USA, an individual is not able to communicate with people around him. Without ability to communicate with others, an immigrant can not get a job, buy anything, ask others for help, etc. People use language to say others what they need, to do any work together, in general to live in society, be a part of it. For example, there are some people in USA who doesn’t really speak English, like people of Brighton Beach, Chinatown in New York City or another “national districts”. People there can not go and do anything outside of their neighborhood. They can’t get a well-paid job in rich neighborhoods like Downtown. So, the first thing an immigrant must do to become a part of the society and assimilate is to learn local language as well as he can. Also, assimilation includes eating the same food as others. To become an American, an immigrant should eat what Americans eat every day. Immigrants of the past century were different. They did not eat American food, so they actually was not Americans. To help them...
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...hand should be taken into consideration if the opportunity is great enough, giving up some of your culture only comes as a small price to pay for so much more in the future. Nevertheless, as Danielle puts it, sometimes people should not give up all of whom they are for small opportunities, compared to Alexie's story of Junior giving up all he has grown up with to reach for a better future. Seen in both experiences, sometimes it is better to give up some of your culture to take the opportunity at hand if it is great enough. Even though assimilation can affect an individual by being able to feel accepted in society, it comes at the cost of losing parts of who they are. In addition, people take risks at the cost or benefit of their future, and taking the risk of going along with the opportunity at hand would be worth it in the end. Even if giving away some part of your culture for potentially a better future could happen. Furthermore, assimilation does not come by easily when taking the risk of abandoning one's own culture to fit into a herd, for it is your dreams that will nullify. ...
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...niggling - critisise const, pettily vehement coupled - joined lament - express grief verbaly. overture - an opening or initiative move towards nwgotiations discombobulating - to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate: The speaker was completely discombobulated by the hecklers. emphatic - spoken with emphasis; "an emphatic word" sudden and strong; "an emphatic no" forceful and definite in expression or action; "the document contained a particularly emphatic guarantee of religious liberty" Stomach-churning confounded - to perplex or amaze, as a result of sudden or unforcene situation Opaque- not trasparant, dull, unintalligdnt, non light transmitant. prepetuate- prevent from extinction or obliteration Dithering - 1.a trembling; vibration. 2.a state of flustered excitement or fear. Annul - 1. (especially of laws or other established rules, usages, etc.) to make void or null; abolish; cancel; invalidate: to annul a marriage. Detest- dislike intesley Witt - mind, unferstanding, sense, sanity. perpetuate - prevent from extinction. multiculturalism is not a vision or an ideology. it is a historic and current reality, as well as an economic imperative. - Hass Dellal, Australian multicultural founfation. animosity- A feeling of strong dislike. fervor- 1. great warmth and earnestness of feeling: to speak with great fervor. reverence -3. a gesture indicative of deep respect; an obeisance, bow, or curtsy. affliction-1. a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery:...
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...country's culture? Do you think it is possible to completely give up a natal culture and immerse oneself in a new culture? Why or why not? Cultural assimilation is the description of changes that occur for immigrants as they encounter and interact with a host culture. Cultural assimilation is a unidirectional process of adaptation whereby immigrants endorsed the values, behaviors, and ideals of the host culture, and simultaneously lost the values, behaviors and ideals characterized by the immigrant's culture of origin. However, for a temporary move, I would try to hold on to my cultural practices and values. I must admit that, some adaptations to the new culture will be necessary, but assimilation will be difficult and unnecessary, If, I intend to return to my culture, assimilation into another culture will turn me into an outsider from my original culture. Yes! It is possible to completely give up a natural culture and immerse in a new culture, if the migration occurred at an early age, I believed that for an immigrant child, assimilation will be easy because, the child has not formed a defined identity. The immigrants that fall into this group were expected to adapt, assimilate and eventually resemble members of the host culture. It is expected that the minority may want to be assimilated with the dominant group. For them assimilation means better opportunities and a better life. More than the better life, it also means acceptance. However, assimilating a new culture often has...
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