Race and Representation Final Study Guide PDF

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Tom SullivanRace and Rep Final Study Guide1. What are “push” and “pull” factors for immigration? Explain specific examples for each from immigrant groups past and present.Push Factors: unfavorable conditions where one lives. Pull Factors: things that attract one to a new area.Example-Push: 1846-1847...

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Tom Sullivan

Race and Rep Final Study Guide 1. What are “push” and “pull” factors for immigration? Explain specific examples for each from immigrant groups past and present. Push Factors: unfavorable conditions where one lives. Pull Factors: things that attract one to a new area. Example-Push: 1846-1847 Irish Potato Famine Example-Pull: 1848 Gold Rush 2. Explain the differences between the 4 major waves of immigration throughout U.S. history. How have U.S. immigration policies been based on race and nationality? How have U.S. policies been ethnocentric? 1. Old Immigrants (1820-1880) • Over 10 million immigrants • Mostly Western Europeans (England, Scotland, Germany, Norway, Ireland) • Voluntary/Forced • 11 million came as slaves. 2. New Immigrants (1881-1930) • Over 27 million immigrants. • In 1910, nearly 15% of U.S. foreign born • Southern and Eastern European nations (Italy, Austria-Hungary, Poland, Russia) • Also, China (300,000 between 1848-82) and Japan • Gold Rush • Occupations: Mining, Labor (transcontinental railroad), Farming, Manufacturing 3. Internal Migration (1924-1965) • African Americans, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans from the south to the north. • Quotas for most immigrants: Exceptions- North Americans, Filipinos until 1934 • Gradual loosening of restrictions • Major pull for Mexican labor migrants. 4. From 1965 to Present • 40 million foreign-born people lived in the United States in 2010 • Between 2000-2010, 14 million immigrants entered U.S. • Close to peak of immigration during second wave. • Rise of immigration from Asia and Latin America • 57.5% came from the following 9 countries: China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, India, Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Vietnam. Undocumented migration from Latin America •

• Anti-immigrant sentiments, nativism, and contested immigration policies at local and federal level • 2000 Census counted nearly 8 million undocumented • estimated 200,000 – 300,000 illegal immigrants enter the US each year. • Economy impacts push and pull factors. U.S. Immigration Policies Based on Race/Ethnocentrism... • Historically, the U.S. immigration system has been race- and nationality-based, favoring “white” Europeans. • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 • Immigration Act of 1891 • Set up Bureau of Immigration, responsible for deportations. Operation “Wetback” 1954: over 1 million Mexicans deported. • • Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 • The 1976 Immigration Act • First quota restrictions on Western Hemisphere 3. Understand how today’s major immigrant groups, mainly from Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, are different from those of previous waves. Today’s waves come under different circumstances, in a time with different laws and immigrant regulation. There are more illegal immigrants from Latin America than ever before, because of the increased restrictions. Also due to restrictions, immigrants come as trained professionals, because that is one way they are permitted into the country. There are less immigrants from Europe, and more from Asia and Latin America, because the push and pull factors are greater in the latter areas. Immigrants are also more easily discriminated against because they often are physically different than caucasian citizens here in the United States. 4. Define incorporation and assimilation. How do these concepts differ? How are they similar? Incorporation: The broader process by which new groups establish relationships with host societies. Assimilation: The convergence of newcomers and host groups, with each affecting the other, not unidirectional movement of newcomers toward native groups. Assimilation is one type of incorporation process.

5. What are the two major dimensions of assimilation? Understand the differences between ethnic groups of the past and contemporary racial and ethnic groups along these two dimensions. Economic • Income, education Sociocultural • More complicated conceptually. • Involves issues of racial and ethnic identity. • Immigrants today arrive with national origins different than those of previous waves. • Ascription vs assertion of identity. • Ex: black immigrants 6. Explain the major theories of incorporation discussed in class. Compare straight-line assimilation theory to new theories of assimilation. What improvements do contemporary theories on incorporation such as Segmented Assimilation make over previous concepts of assimilation? Straight-line Assimilation • Immigrant/ethnic and majority groups follow a straight-line convergence. • Over the life-course and generations, groups adapt to become more similar in norms, values, and behaviors. • Usually immigrant and ethnic groups are depicted as melting into mainstream or core culture. • Ex: Italian immigrants over time and across generations have become American. American is equated to white. • Assimilation = Americanization = assimilating into Anglo-Saxon Core Ethnic Disadvantage Model • Lingering discrimination and institutional barriers block employment and other opportunities. • Race and ethnicity can constitute a burden for achieving economic mobility and eventual assimilation. • The result is ethnic retention, or the (re)emergence of racial or ethnic consciousness, including reactive or oppositional identities. Segmented Assimilation • Multiple pathways to incorporation depending on: • national origin, socioeconomic status, contexts of reception in US, and family resources. • Three patterns of adaptation: 1. Acculturation and integration into middle class 2. Permanent poverty and assimilation into underclass 3. Econ advancement through preservation of immigrant values and solidarity

Incorporation experiences of recent immigrants are more diverse than those provided by assimilation and ethnic-disadvantage models. 7. What role does race play in the process of assimilation? How does discrimination effect assimilation? How does the diversity of today’s immigrants change our conceptions of assimilation and incorporation? Race plays a big role, because what race you are makes it easier or more difficult to assimilate in America. If you are European, you look more like the dominant race, while if you’re African, Asian, or Hispanic, you are more easily picked out of a crowd and thought of as different. Also, your race may cause you to have a very different culture than the American culture, as opposed to a race that is already similar to America. Discrimination effects assimilation, in that increased discrimination leads to less assimilation. Diversity means that there are more pathways to assimilation in the United States. There is not just one clear minority group, and each culture assimilates with every other cultures. More cultures means more ingredients to blend. 8. Explain the historical construction of citizenship and race. What role did racial inequality play in the historical construction of citizenship? • Revolutionary War – concept of citizenship restricted membership to white males. Defined by race and gender. • Native American, blacks, and white women not included • Further, definition of white was Anglo-Protestant • Immigration changed citizenship • Inclusive to maintain majority. 9. Define citizenship. What are the four dimensions of citizenship as outlined by Bloemraad. What are the rights of U.S. citizens? What are the responsibilities of U.S. citizens? Citizenship: a form of membership in a political and geographical community. 1. Legal Status 2. Rights 3. Political and other forms of participation in society 4. Sense of belonging • Rights of citizenship • Participate in political system. • To be represented and protected abroad by US • Reside in the US without any immigration requirements.

• Responsibilities of citizenship • Serve on jury • Pay taxes • Serve in military (males) 10. What is the process of becoming a U.S. citizen today? What is naturalization? Why does citizenship matter? How are processes of incorporation shaped by immigrant citizenship status? • Birth, adoption • Naturalization • 18 years or older • Legal permanent resident of the U.S. • At least 5 years before applying • Physically present for at least 30 of previous 60 months • Must be a person of good moral character • Citizenship Test Citizenship allows us to analyze the extent to which immigrants and their descendants are incorporated into receiving societies. 11. Define and explain civic engagement and political participation. Why is civic engagement and political participation important? What role do civic organizations play in the incorporation process of immigrant groups?

Civic Engagement: The involvement in communal activities that have some purpose or benefit beyond a single individual or family’s self-interest – either for a community organization, social group, or the general public. Political Engagement: involvement in activities related to the formal political system, often with the intention of influencing government policies and practices. • Significant differences in civic participation among racial, ethnic, and immigrantgeneration groups. • Volunteerism has a strong relationship to political participation. • Changing demographics lead to changing civic organizations. 12. What are barriers to equal opportunity for civic and political participation? What are consequences of unequal participation?...