What Is Assimilation And Has It A

Spatial Dimension. Essay, Research Paper

“spatial relations mirror the social relations of society” Robert E. Park (1926) “Ethnic residential segregation reflects larger processes of social change and economic development” Douglas Massey (1985). The term Œassimilation¹ is widely used to describe the variety of processes which lead to a state of homogenisation of society. A precise definition is very difficult to define and in the first section of this essay I hope to reach an acceptable general definition of assimilation. The second section of this essay will deal with the more controversial question as to the existence of a spatial dimension of assimilation. I shall be considering a broad range of literature and hope finally to determine whether assimilation has a so called, Œspatial dimension¹. Milton M Gordon¹s Assimilation in American Life (1964) dedicates an entire chapter to the definition of assimilation, quoting from a great variety of sources, all of which attempt a precise, formal definition of assimilation. Broadly speaking assimilation is a both a term identifying the processes which occur when an ethnic immigrant population interacts with a host or Œcore society¹, and a descriptive word describing the state of that interactive process. It would be prudent also at this stage to identify the main components of ethnicity itself. The three major sources of ethnicity are found in the American ethic “regardless of race, creed, or national origin”. The Harvard Encyclopaedia of American Ethnic Groups identifies six components of ethnicity. An ethnic population would consist of a group of people sharing a common historical origin, with some conception of cultural and social distinctiveness from the core society. They would play a role as a unit in a larger and diverse system of social relations, and possess a manifest or latent network of associations beyond kinship and locality. Furthermore they would acknowledge of their own diversity in different settings and would have some form of attachment to a set of historically derived group symbols. Today in the USA, Puerto Ricans and Hispanics are examples of ethnic groups. The white anglo-saxon protestant population can be thought of as being the core society. Returning to assimilation, the problem of definition arises as different individuals stress different aspects of the same process. Robert E Park and Ernest W Burgess define assimilation as “…a process of interpenetration and fusion in which persons and groups acquire the memories, sentiments and attitudes of other persons or groups, and, by sharing their experience and history, are incorporated with them in a common cultural life” The Harvard Encyclopaedia of American Ethnic Groups defines assimilation simply as the “process that leads to greater homogeneity in society”. Yet the most comprehensive definition in my opinion is that of Gordon. He identifies several subprocesses which function within the framework of the assimilation process. By considering the process in this way I feel one comes to a clear understanding of the term. Each of these subprocesses may be thought of as constituting a particular stage or aspect of the assimilation process. These subprocesses can be achieved at different times and to different degrees by the group in question. 1) Cultural Assimilation – This is the change of the immigrant groups cultural pattern to that of the host society. Involving the change in ethnic values, customs and cultural forms. It might also be termed Acculturation. 2) Structural Assimilation – This is the entrance of the immigrants into the social network of groups and institutions of the host society. It constituted a change in primary and institutional relationships. 3) Marital Assimilation – Might also be termed Amalgamation. This refers to the intermarriage between the immigrant group and the core society. 4) Identificational Assimilation – This refers to the development of a sense of peoplehood by the immigrants, based exclusively on the core society. 5) Attitudinal Receptional Assimilation – This being the absence of prejudice toward either group in the population as a whole. 6) Behavioural Receptional Assimilation – This being the absence of discrimination toward either group in the population as a whole. 7) Civic Assimilation – This is the absence of value and power conflict between the immigrant group and core society. Milton Gordon was indeed the first person to distinguish between different types of assimilation. He identified the two most important forms to be Cultural assimilation and structural assimilation, the latter being the key to successful complete assimilation. It is also debatable as to when complete assimilation is said to have occurred. Some suggest total assimilation to exist when the immigrant group experiences no discrimination or prejudice in the core society and the ethnic group is able to participate in all spheres of society. Indeed in this instance it would be difficult to differentiate between the ethnic group and the core society on the basis of socioeconomic status or other indicators of assimilation. Others argue assimilation is complete when groups “achieve a cultural solidarity sufficient at least to sustain a national existence”. I personally see the process of assimilation as ongoing and one which is very difficult to identify as having stopped. There are a variety of factors which influence the rate