U.S. assimilation has largely been a one-sided process of Americanization or Anglo-conformity

Your Topic: Discussion board

Assignment Details: This is your discussion board for the week! Please read the instructions closely and carefully. Your post should discuss the content for this week, which is centered on the processes of assimilation and pluralism. Each person’s post should include at least 1 paragraph (with at least 5 sentences per paragraph) on each of the following:

Concepts synthesis — what are the important terms, concepts, and ideas for the week?
Reading specifics — which 2 or more sections of the module stood out to you and why?
Connection to outside material — what materials from outside of class do you see this relating to? Explain how and why. Please remember to provide a URL link to this outside material. Describe the URL and how it relates to the material for the week.
Questions for your peers. – Provide 2-3 questions and explain why you are asking the questions you are asking and how they relate to the material for the week.

Types of Assimilation

Melting pot: when diverse groups contribute fairly equally in the creation of a new, unique society. Often thought of as the dominant form of assimilation in the United States.
melting pot

However, U.S. assimilation has largely been a one-sided process of Americanization or Anglo-conformity, in which immigrant and minority groups are expected to give up their traditions and adopt Anglo- or White American cultural values in order to participate in society.
For example, 72% of survey respondents agree that “it is essential that immigrants living in the United States learn to speak English.”
Please view the following video which explains more about the melting pot:

The “Traditional” Perspective on Assimilation: Theories and Concepts
Robert Park: intergroup relations go through a predictable set of phases called a race relations cycle that begins with conflict and competition but inevitably moves toward assimilation and equal treatment between groups. However, this theory fails to account for how assimilation would actually proceed or when it would be “complete.”
Please view the following video to learn more about Park’s race relations cycle:

Milton Gordon: broke down the process of assimilation into seven subprocesses (See Table 2.1 below).
Gordon makes the distinction between cultural (e.g., language and beliefs) and structural (e.g., social relations and organizations) components of a society.
Gordon’s first three stages of assimilation are:
Assimilation, or cultural acculturation: members of the minority group learn the culture of the dominant group and adopt new value systems and gender roles, alter the spelling of the family surname, and other changes.
Integration, or structural assimilation: the minority group enters the social structure of the larger society, from interpersonal relationships (primary sector) to public institutions (secondary sector).
Intermarriage, or marital assimilation: intermarriage can occur once there is substantial integration of the minority group into the primary sector.
Table_02_01.jpg
Critiques of Park and Gordon:
Assimilation processes do not necessarily occur in a linear fashion.
One-size-fits-all models overlook how differences in race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality might shape experiences with and possibilities for assimilation and integration.
Models assume that assimilation into the dominant culture is desirable and completely possible for all groups.
Human capital theory: explains success achieved by an individual or groups in terms of individual characteristics and abilities, such as educational level and skills. For example, some immigrant groups achieved upward mobility more rapidly than others.
Blau and Duncan’s (1967) status attainment theory–high levels of affluence and occupational prestige are the result of superior education that makes affluence possible, more so than being born into a privileged status.
View the following 2 videos which examine the U.S education system from a sociological perspective and explain the history of education in the United States and how it contributes to status attainment theory:

Additional Video Resources (optional):

Paul Orieny, Sr. Clinical Advisor for Mental Health, The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), discusses the challenges of coping with the magnitude of change encountered during resettlement (0:00-4:28).

True Thao, MSW, LICSW discusses cultural change and adaptations experienced by immigrants and refugees (1:43-2:40)

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U.S. assimilation has largely been a one-sided process of Americanization or Anglo-conformity

U.S. assimilation has largely been a one-sided process of Americanization or Anglo-conformity

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