chapter 3 - race, ethnicity and immigration

great migration

movement of over 300,000 African American from the rural south into Northern cities between 1914 and 1920

Deindustrialization

process by which companies move industrial jobs to other regions with cheaper labor, leaving the newly deindustrialized region to switch to a service economy and to work through a period of high unemployment

undocumented immigrants

-people who entered the country without permission or who have stayed longer than they were permitted to under teh conditions of their entry

minority group

-racial or ethnic group that occupies a subordinate status in society -are usually smaller than the dominant group, but not always

races

-roughly corresponds to populations of the different continents

confucian exam system

-system used by the Han dynasty to recruit men of virtue and wisdom into ruling positions -even poor children could achieve success through diligent study -more authoritarian in parenting style

acculturation

-the acquisition of a new culture and language -may be consonant (when parents and children gradually transition away from their home culture and language) or dissonant (when children develop english ability more quickly and integrate into the new society more easily than their parents)

socially constructed

-the categories we use and the assignment of individuals to categories are the outcome of social interaction and beliefs -change over time and differ from place to place

second generation

-the children of immigrants -japanese: nisi

assimilation

-the gradual reduction of ethnic distinction between immigrants and the mainstream society -both adapt to each other, moving toward the point when the ethnic distinction is not longer recognized -only successful when the host society accepts the new group

first generation

-the immigrants themselves -japanese: issei

self identification

-the race and ethnicity you choose are up to you (or parents) when filling out any form

social distance

-intermarriage is itself a good measure of societys most rigid taboos

intermarriage

-marriage between members of different racial or ethnic groups -is the litmus test of racial and ethnic difference -creates the integration of two groups

endogamy

-marriage between people of the same social category

exogamy

-marriage outside the tribe, caste, or social group -more of marriage outside ones group

latinos

-largest minority group at 59 million in the country -many came after world war II (specifically puerto rican immigrants) -have seen a decline in married couples and increase of single parents

New Immigration

-The second major wave of immigration to the U.S.; betwen 1865-1910, 25 million new immigrants arrived. Unlike earlier immigration, which had come primarily from Western and Northern Europe, the New Immigrants came mostly from Southern and Eastern Europe, fleeing persecution and poverty. Language barriers and cultural differences produced mistrust by Americans. -due to reform of federal laws that allowed the immigration of any number of spouses, children and parents of US citizens

American Indians

-about 1 million and 350 tribes before 1600, reduced to 2/3 -make up 2% of the population now -largest tribes are the cherokee, navajo, and choctaw

racial ethnicity

-an ethnic group perceived to share physical characteristics

familism

-cultural trait associated with latino culture -personal outlook that puts family obligations first, before individual well being

African Americans

-early research shows that their families were shaped by slavery, discrimination and poverty more than by cultural traditions -women were more so head of household -rates of retreat from marriage has grown significantly

Asian Americans

-first large group of Asians in the US were Chinese workingmen in the 19th century -fastest growing minority group

race

-group of people believed to share common descent, based on perceived innate physical similarities -common descent and physical similarity are a matter of perception

ethnicity

-group of people with a common cultural identification -based on a combination of language, religion, ancestral origin, or traditional practices -can change overtime

Loving v. Virginia

1867 court case that declared all laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional

redlining

A process by which banks draw lines on a map and refuse to lend money to purchase or improve property within the boundaries. -despite high profile images of middle class families, have the highest poverty rate of any major racial-ethnic group

Hypodescent

sometimes called the "one drop of blood rule"; the assignment of children of racially "mixed" unions to the subordinate group