2 options of Social inequality (comepare & contrast) - Essay Example

Running head: Influence and race on assimilation Influence and Race on Assimilation Insert Insert Grade Insert NameMarch 3, 2012Influence of Class and Race on AssimilationIntroduction When an immigrant gets into another country in which he joins a minority group, he or she will encounter new social surroundings that require an adaptation. The children of such immigrants are then brought up in a setting that has a mixture of practices from their parents’ culture and that of the natives. However, the kind of assimilation will be different among different groups of immigrant children depending on a number of factors.

The second generation of immigrants is undergoing a segmented assimilation in which the actual outcomes of the process are determined by a number of factors on the immigrants. Factors such as the social class, language, and race will dictate an individual’s acceptance and integration into the American middle-class society with the race being the dominant factor. In their work, Portes & Rumbaut have observed that the nature of assimilation that will be exhibited by these children depend on the race or social class to which a child’s parents belong.

Portes and Rumbaut consider that the reception of immigrants by host nation and the contextual factors of the host society will determine the assimilation course. They cite a social principle that a new minority who is closer to the natives in terms of physical appearance, class, or language is more likely to be received and integrated into the mainstream culture. Thus, an immigrant with good level of education does not experience difficulty getting along with the middle class in America. In relation to the class of immigrants, the duo observes that the immigrants from Northwestern Europe with good level of education or some work experience will find little difficulties in integrating into the American life.

These individuals are able to deploy their skills and education in the American society thereby facilitating their integration. This also relates to the language factor. English is the popular language in the US. Thus, the immigrants who are able to speaking the language will easily be integrated into the mainstream of the middle class in the US. The other important factor is physical appearance of the immigrants that is related to the race of the individual. The two further points out that, in America, the race factor is even superior to the other factors like religion or education.

It is observed that an individual in the US can be good in English and with proper education to fit in the society. The individual could also proclaim similar religious faith as the natives. However, as long as the immigrant is non-white, he or she is likely to face obstacles in joining the mainstream of the white middle class. The darker an individual is, the more difficult it will be to get closer to the middle class even if he has other good qualifications. This implies that it is more difficult for the African Americans to be integrated into the American society of middle class than it is for the Europeans.

Thus, it is evident that the process of assimilation of the immigrant children into the American life is influenced by a number of factors, some of which may not be obvious, so that it is not possible to accept unanimously that the transition will be smooth. The second generation can be assimilated either downwards or upwards to the middle class. Integration into the American life is just one of the many possible outcomes. However, the race and social factor becomes more influential in determining if an individual will be assimilated downwards to the low-class members of the society or upwards to middle-class.

Works CitedPortes, Alejandro and Rumbaut, Ruben G. Legacies: The story of Immigrant Second Generation. Los Angeles: University of California Press. 2001.