LITERATURE REVIEW
In America, the anti-immigrant sentiments are deeply rooted in the establishment of civil society. The attitudes of the early colonists towards the Germans, Irish, Scot-Irish, Italians, and Spanish were both positive and negative but when these groups first arrived they were perceived as deviant because of simply holding different beliefs. In fact restrictions on immigrants first arose during this time period. These attitudes however did not stop the flow of immigrants into the country (Berg: 2009). What we can see from these few examples is that the early view of discrimination in regards to immigrants was from a religious perspective.
According to Berg, many felt threatened and believe that “illegal immigrants place an
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Ha’s study, “The Consequences of Multiracial Contexts on Public Attitudes towards Immigration” examines how racial contexts relate to Americans opinion towards immigrations. He had tested his hypothesis using two national surveys, The 2005 Citizenship, Involvement, and Democracy Study, which have been done by the Center for democracy and Civil Society at Georgetown University. It was a clustered sample, and face to face interviews. The sample was significantly large and representative (26230 clustered sample, and 1001 interviews). His findings says that to figure out why people perceive illegal immigrants negatively and discriminated, Ha found it important to examine how race contexts relate. “The relationship between multiracial context and public opinion on immigration [as it relates to immigrants] may be at the core of many challenges facing ethnically diverse American society” (Ha: 2010). Ha address the two theories: threat and contact for explanting for specific attitudes toward immigrants. The threat theory suggests “persistent segregation of immigrant and its concomitant linguistic and social isolation may stimulate antagonistic sentiments among native-born people and intensify interethnic tensions” (30). However, contact theory hypothesizes “racially and ethnically mixed neighborhoods as a result of a consistent flow of immigration can lead to harmonious race relations by promoting interaction and cooperation among different racial groups” (pp 30). So, the …show more content…
One of the symbols which has brought up much discussion is that of crossing the actual ‘border.’ The idea of a wall on the borders of the U.S. is not a new one. It represents a sense of security and preservation of ideals on one side, as well as an idea of intolerance on another. It also tends to diminish the original idea of the U.S. as a safe haven for those seeking refuge or opportunity. This can be seen as the symbolic interactionist perspective which was studied by sociologists such as Charles Cooley and George Herbert Mead. The concept is defined as, “[emphasizing] human behavior is influenced by definitions and meanings that are created and maintained through symbolic interaction with others” (Mooney. Knox Sch.
During the 1900’s, it was common for people to immigrate to America. They saw it as a land of freedom and opportunity. Some thought that this was a great way for the US’ economy to boom, but some thought otherwise. With the shortage of jobs, many believed that the immigrants were stealing their precious jobs. Because of the competition over jobs, immigrants became the new public enemy to many.
America is undergoing significant social change. While in 1960, white people made up 85 percent of the population, in the latest census it was projected that by 2043, the United States would “be the first post-industrial society in the world where minorities will be the majority” (Deasy, 2012). The 1965 Immigration Act is said to have opened the door to waves of new immigration from Mexico, Latin America and Asia, and the cumulative social impacts have been far reaching. The purpose of this annotated bibliography is to critically review a handful of research papers that explore some of the impacts that immigration has had on the United States, with a particular focus on the research methodologies adopted. It finds that while many papers focus on the use of quantitative research methodologies to measure
Daniel, Roger is a highly respected author and professor who has majored in the study of immigration in history and more specifically the progressive ear. He’s written remarkable works over the history of immigration in America, in his book Not like Us he opens a lenses about the hostile and violent conditions immigrants faced in the 1890’s through the 1924’s. Emphasizing that during the progressive area many immigrants felt as they were living in a regressing period of their life. While diversity of ethnicity and race gradually grew during this time it also sparked as a trigger for whites creating the flare up of nativism. Daniel’s underlines the different types of racial and ethnical discrimination that was given to individual immigrant
The United States has a history in which success is associated with greater negativity toward certain groups. Anti-immigration sentiment and extreme immigration policy may come from the desire to blame outsiders for poor economic conditions. Immigrant and minority attitudes as well as policy regulations are tied to economic competition. Current public opinion polls show mixed attitudes over immigrants and immigration policy because of the ability of citizens to distinguish between documented and undocumented citizens.
In the eyes of the early American colonists and the founders of the Constitution, the United States was to represent the ideals of acceptance and tolerance to those of all walks of life. When the immigration rush began in the mid-1800's, America proved to be everything but that. The millions of immigrants would soon realize the meaning of hardship and rejection as newcomers, as they attempted to assimilate into American culture. For countless immigrants, the struggle to arrive in America was rivaled only by the struggle to gain acceptance among the existing American population.
John Higham explains in "Racism Immigration Restriction" that in Americans at the turn of the century already had a dislike for the new immigrants and now with more entering America after World War I, the personal dislike intensified. He writes: "...the transformation of relative cultural differences into an absolute line of cleavage, which would redeem the northwestern Europeans from the charges once leveled at them and explain the present danger of immigration in terms of the change in its sources." (Doc 1) People believed these immigrants could not adapt to the "standardized" way of American living, as the Northwestern or Nordic immigrants did. These new immigrants' presence in America stirred up religious racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan.
Among the problems that face our nation, illegal immigration seems to be one of the most regarded. “In 2005, there were 12.7 million people classified as refugees in the world. Refugees are forced to migrate because of danger in their own country.” (Cath Senker 12) Some push to end it while others want to have it legalized or less strict. There are many points that are argued on this topic. Although immigrants support the economy, they should have to pay taxes. Illegal immigration should be stopped or slowed until the legalization process and borders are improved. Due to the fact, that taxpayers are the backbone of our economy and nation as a whole.
Immigration has always been an issue in the United States, which is often portrayed as harmful and as major threat to American culture. As a result, various anti immigration policies have been aimed against immigrants in order to prevent and preserve the miscegenation of American culture, such as English only policies. Among the largest minority groups in the U.S, are Latinos who currently compose of 15% of the U.S population (Delgado and Stefancic 3). Unfortunately, Latinos have been accused of taking American benefits, jobs, and have wrongfully been depicted as a result of not assimilating to American culture. Latinos are often accused of resisting assimilation, but what has failed to be acknowledged is that there are obstacles set in place that are preventing Latinos from completely assimilating. Among those greatest obstacles there is discrimination. Institutional as well as individual discrimination have prevented many Latinos from feeling a sense of belonging. As a result Latinos have been reluctant to assimilate. Another major component is proximity. Many Latinos are native to nearby countries which allows for easy communication with family members as well as their culture. Moreover, it also allows for a constant influx of immigrants that replenish and preserve Latino cultures and traditions in the U.S. Lastly, Latino movements are working diligently to promote unity among communities for the purpose of creating a sense of identity and pride amongst Latinos, such as the Chicano movement.
Arrivals, from the same year, from all countries of persons of German race were 29,682 and Hebrew arrivals were 60,764. Changing the Character of Immigration, Pg. 103. 1) Unfortunately, with such a large influx in population during a short amount of time and other variables such as immigrants being unable to speak English, inadequate affordable urban housing, and insufficient jobs, a large amount of immigrants ended up in growing slums without the feeling of security or knowledge of how to find help, if there was any, from an unrepresentative government. These factors transformed incoming immigrants into easy prey for patronage from the political machine and sustained them by giving their votes. In the 1930’s, mass immigration had stopped and representative government had begun, leading to a decline in patronage needed by then integrated immigrants and a decline in votes for the machine....
Immigration has always been a major part of America. In fact, without immigration the creation of America would not have been possible. The majority of immigrants came to America for religious freedom and economic opportunities. However, for the most part before the 1870’s most immigrants were Protestants from northern and western Europe. These immigrants often migrated to the United States as families and usually lived on farms with family or friends who had already migrated beforehand. A lot of immigrants came to America with a plan or goal in mind. They often had saved up money for the long immigration overseas, were skilled in a certain trade, or had already been educated at a high level. Sadly, this would not last. Immigration became so prominent in America between 1870 and 1900 that the foreign-born population of the United States had almost doubled. A lot of German and Irish Catholics had immigrated in the 1840’s and 1850’s, and more decided to immigrate after the Civil War. A portion of Americans were biased against Catholics. Thankfully, the Irish spoke English and the German Catholics reputation was improved because of their Protestant countrymen’s good reputation. However, their children often lacked any skill or education, but they were able to blend in quite well with the American society. More and more immigrants would migrate to the United States without any skill or education and on top of that they were usually poor. These immigrants were called “new” immigrants and they came from all over the world including Italy, Greece, Poland, Hungary, and Russia. However, you cannot blame immigrants for migrating to America. Many immigrants faced religious persecution in their home countries which pushed them away, otherwi...
Perea, Juan. Immigrants Out! The New Nativism and the Anti-Immigrant Impulse in the United States. New York or London: New York University Press, 1997. Print.
When immigrants first began arriving in America, business owners welcomed them because they worked for less money. However, ever since the labor radicalism of the World War I era, and particularly since the Sacco and Vanzetti trial, business owners have increasingly come to view immigrants as the source of labor unrest. Because the common American felt that the United States was becoming too much of a multi-cultural, multi-belief nation, the government passed the Immigration Restriction Acts of 1921 and 1924. The latter reduced the number of Catholic and Jewish immigrants to a trickle by setting extremely low quotas for the number of people to be allowed in each year from Southern and Eastern European countries. As modernists questioned the beliefs of Fundamentalists, they ended up making a religion out of science. Modernists in the Twenties often acted as if science could provide all the answers to the questions of life, a role that religion had assumed in the past. If fundamentalist religion continues to remain a force in American culture and politics, perhaps it is because of the failure of science to answer these questions.
America is a country that has an unspoken immigration policy, and that is based entirely upon race. This policy has been in effect since we began racial classifications. In J.L. Hochschild’s paper titled “Racial Reorganization and the United States Census 1850-1930 Mulattoes, Half Breeds, Mixed Parentage, Hindoos, and the Mexican Race. Studies in American Political Development.” The reorganization of races was rooted in who is and who isn’t white. What we honestly know is that being white carries a cache and that has never changed. It’s like having a backstage pass to the greatest rock concert ever performed. Everybody you tell wishes they were there too. Within that frame work a determination of whom would be included and who would be excluded would have to be made. Did Native Americans have the ability to assimilate, would Mexicans be included in the Jim Crow laws, and whether all Asians should be excluded from entering the country were questions white people would determine. (J. L. Hochschild 1) And, these questions would form the basis of each groups place on America’s racial totem pole. The focus of Professor Hochschild’s paper is that the Census Bureau is deeply implicated in the social construct of race, and precious little has changed in all that time.
With the country's vast natural resources, abundance of land, and endless opportunities, there seemed to be more than enough room for everyone. The gates were open to any that wished to enter. However, as the years progressed, America became less like a frontier and began to settle down. Not long after the United States found a relatively stable economy and government, the issue of restricting immigration arose. Many American citizens, although immigrants themselves, began to see newcomers as a problem. Fear for the stability of the economy, of the spreading of diseases, and of foreign culture disrupting American ideals were among some of the concerns. Prejudices also developed as a result of legal citizens seeing themselves as better than the average immigrant. Fortunately, these fears did not develop into anything more substantial than minor regulations until the beginning of the twentieth century. Strict laws were soon put into effect, some more severe than others, in an attempt to stop or at least slow the number of immigrants coming to America. Even today, refugees and immigrants are put through tremendous hassles, some never making it past the legal barriers. There is a serious problem with these laws, however. From the...
Today, in most cases, people don’t spend very much time thinking about why the society we live in presently, is the way it is. Most people would actually be surprised about all that has happened throughout America’s history. Many factors have influenced America and it’s society today, but one of the most profound ways was the way the “Old Immigrants” and “New Immigrants” came to America in the early to mid 1800s. The “Old Immigrants were categorized as the ones who came before 1860 and the “New Immigrants” being the ones who came between 1865 and 1920. The immigrants came to the United States, not only seeking freedom, but also education. Many immigrants also wanted to practice their religion without hindrance. What happened after the immigrants