Matching Items (4)
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- All Subjects: assimilation
- Creators: Menjivar, Cecilia
- Creators: Kashiwagi, Dean
Description
Ascribed elements of one's self-identity such as sex, race, and the place of birth are deeply related to one's national identity among Japanese immigrant women. Spouses, offspring, friends, networks in the U.S., or even information about their local area also represent the nation they feel they belong to. The feelings of belonging and comfort are the basis for their achieved sphere of identification with the U.S. This study found that few elderly immigrants would identify only with the host county. Likewise, very few elderly immigrants would identify only with the homeland. Therefore, most of them identify with both countries (transnational), or they identify with neither country (liminal) to an extent. Developing transnational or liminal identity is a result of how Japanese elderly immigrant women have been experiencing mundane events in the host country and how they think the power relations of the sending and receiving countries have changed over the years. Japanese elderly immigrant women with transnational identity expressed their confidence and little anxiety for their aging. Their confidence comes from strong connection with the local community in the host country or/and homeland. Contrarily, those with liminal identity indicated stronger anxiety toward their aging. Their anxiety comes from disassociation from the local community in the U.S. and Japan. With regard to the decisiveness of future plan such as where to live and how to cope with aging, indecisiveness seems to create more options for elderly Japanese immigrant women with the transnational identity, while it exacerbates the anxiety among those who have liminal identity.
ContributorsKawakami, Atsuko (Author) / Tsuda, Takeyuki (Thesis advisor) / John, Johnson (Committee member) / Menjivar, Cecilia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
United States and Mexico population statistics show clear evidence of return migration. This study uses qualitative data collected in a municipality in the State of Mexico during the summer of 2010 from families comprised of Mexican nationals and United States-born children post-relocation to Mexico. Using Portes and Zhou's theoretical framework on modes of incorporation, this study illustrates the government policy, societal reception and coethnic community challenges the first and second generation face in their cases of family return migration. This study finds that the municipal government is indifferent to foreign children and their incorporation in Mexico schools. Furthermore, extended family and community, may not always aid the household's adaptation to Mexico. Despite the lack of a coethnic community, parents eventually acclimate into manual and entrepreneurial positions in society and the children contend to find a place called home.
ContributorsMedina, Dulce (Author) / Menjivar, Cecilia (Thesis advisor) / Seline Szkupinski-Quiroga, Seline (Committee member) / Glick, Jennifer (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The purpose of this work is to set up a dichotomy between trends of Nationalism and Assimilation, using the post Diaspora Armenian population as a sample. Armenian-American youth is the focus of study, as they are said to be in the unique position of having one foot in each door as far as cultures are concerned. The paper uses micro level survey data on young Armenians combined with macro level social trends in densely Armenian diaspora areas such as the San Fernando Valley, to find trends in recent rates of cultural integration. One of the major distinctions made is between the ‘traditional’ and the ‘symbolic’. The first is a more authentic grasp of one’s heritage, but is argued to be nearly impossible to maintain when moving to a dominant culture. The second is inheritable and teachable to children by rote, but only provides a shell of cultural artifacts. Dr. Bakalian summarizes the sentiment in the contrast of ‘being’ vs. ‘feeling’. Nationalism in moderation can contribute to maintaining ancestry and contribute to worldwide diversity. Nationalism in excess can lead to xenophobia and isolationism. Assimilation in moderation can allow for a certain group to learn and borrow the best parts from another nation. Assimilation in excess can breed resentment and the eventual loss or total symbolization of a once rich culture. In a country like the U.S. which assimilates through benign osmosis rather than oppression, it is difficult to make any conclusive recommendation which would teach something that arguably cannot be taught. Perhaps the best we can do is to push for teaching symbolic culture to inspire travel back to a ‘motherland’ to spark traditional values.
ContributorsKaprelian, Armen Girair (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This thesis project investigated the linguistic competence of four brothers in an attempt to evaluate the effects that assimilation in the United States has on language loss within second generation speakers. The project employed the use of a case study and autoethnography in order to take a closer look at the concepts of assimilation, acculturation, and language loss, as well to provide a real world example of their interrelatedness. The second generation, or the heritage speakers in the family, were the focus of the study in order to provide a closer look at how the heritage language was retained within said generation. The project found that although there has historically been a push to assimilate immigrants into the American society, my brothers and I are not being assimilated as much as we are being acculturated. The project also found that although we grew up speaking Spanish at home, education in the language was essential in developing fluency in the subcategories of reading and writing, which are often neglected in the household.
ContributorsDreher, Brian Francis (Author) / Ovando, Carlos (Thesis director) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05