America. It is the land of milk and honey, where the streets are paved with gold and where anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps. But is that really the case? Freedom and better opportunities are what draw immigrants here, however, not all immigrants achieve it. For immigrants who aren’t as prosperous, many aspire for their children to become successful. While first-generation immigrants certainly face obstacles in order to get ahead, second-generation immigrants also face a unique set of problems on the road to success. Novels like Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, and TV shows like Fresh Off the Boat, showcase second-generation narratives and their attempts toward parental and personal aspirations. These stories help reveal second-generation
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The word elicits many different interpretations and the meaning itself is personal. Although it is a highly subjective term, for our purposes, “success” among second-generation immigrants will be measured by socioeconomic status. According to the American Psychological Association, socioeconomic status is based on a collection of factors including education, income, occupation, family size, and family relationships. More specifically, years of schooling, total income, occupation, and family size and composition are questions usually asked on surveys to calculate socioeconomic status (APA). Generally speaking, second-generation immigrants are doing better than their first-generation parents. In a study done by Pew, a nonpartisan research organization, the median household income of second-generation immigrants was roughly $58,100, compared to $45,800 for first-generation immigrants in 2012. The percent of second-generation immigrants with college graduates also increased by 7%, and the number of second-generation immigrants in poverty decreased by 7% (Pew 7). Overall, the study shows that second-generation immigrants are achieving higher educational and economic attainment than the first-generation immigrants, which in turn, leads to a higher socioeconomic …show more content…
Obvious types of assimilation include language assimilation, where fluency in the English language is necessary for effective communication in school and the workforce. Cultural assimilation, on the other hand, is usually more subtle. In a study created by two sociology professors at the University of Toronto, cultural assimilation was measured by the amount of ethnic or cultural detachment among immigrants, which measured close ethnic ties, ethnic friendship networks, language use, and an identifiable accent (Reitz, Sklar 266). The study found that immigrants of European origin were more likely to assimilate into American culture than any other immigrants, and the more ethically detached they were, the more economic advantages they had. Other ethnic minority immigrants, however, had more economic and social disadvantages compared to immigrants of European origins but were not as likely to assimilate as quickly as European immigrants. This particularly noteworthy, since the study reveals that European immigrants also face pressures to assimilate, perhaps more so than other immigrant populations. In the end, it is evident that with the gain of economic and social advantages, cultural identity is ultimately sacrificed for many
The word elicits many different interpretations and the meaning itself is personal. Although it is a highly subjective term, for our purposes, “success” among second-generation immigrants will be measured by socioeconomic status. According to the American Psychological Association, socioeconomic status is based on a collection of factors including education, income, occupation, family size, and family relationships. More specifically, years of schooling, total income, occupation, and family size and composition are questions usually asked on surveys to calculate socioeconomic status (APA). Generally speaking, second-generation immigrants are doing better than their first-generation parents. In a study done by Pew, a nonpartisan research organization, the median household income of second-generation immigrants was roughly $58,100, compared to $45,800 for first-generation immigrants in 2012. The percent of second-generation immigrants with college graduates also increased by 7%, and the number of second-generation immigrants in poverty decreased by 7% (Pew 7). Overall, the study shows that second-generation immigrants are achieving higher educational and economic attainment than the first-generation immigrants, which in turn, leads to a higher socioeconomic …show more content…
Obvious types of assimilation include language assimilation, where fluency in the English language is necessary for effective communication in school and the workforce. Cultural assimilation, on the other hand, is usually more subtle. In a study created by two sociology professors at the University of Toronto, cultural assimilation was measured by the amount of ethnic or cultural detachment among immigrants, which measured close ethnic ties, ethnic friendship networks, language use, and an identifiable accent (Reitz, Sklar 266). The study found that immigrants of European origin were more likely to assimilate into American culture than any other immigrants, and the more ethically detached they were, the more economic advantages they had. Other ethnic minority immigrants, however, had more economic and social disadvantages compared to immigrants of European origins but were not as likely to assimilate as quickly as European immigrants. This particularly noteworthy, since the study reveals that European immigrants also face pressures to assimilate, perhaps more so than other immigrant populations. In the end, it is evident that with the gain of economic and social advantages, cultural identity is ultimately sacrificed for many