Diversity in America

by Vincent N. Parrillo

• ISBN13: 9781412956376
• ISBN10: 1412956374
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-05-20
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc

Summary

The Third Edition of Diversity in America offers both a sociohistorical perspective and a sociological analysis to provide insights into U.S. diversity. The author squarely addresses the topics which generate more passionate, invective, and raucous debate than all others in American society today: Is multiculturalism a threat to us? Should immigration be more closely controlled? Are we no longer sufficiently 'œAmerican' and why? The book answers these questions by using history and sociology to shed light on socially constructed myths about our past, misunderstandings from our present, and anxieties about our future. New to the Third Edition Offers a new section in each chapter, 'œThe Larger Context,' which places multiculturalism in a comparative perspective to other developed countries Examines what constitutes a racial or ethnic group Includes new chapter-opening photographs that visually illustrate the context of that chapter Presents expanded commentary in many chapters about the influence of Asian culture in the earlier part of U.S. history and provides expanded discussion about Arabs, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans Discusses the social constructionist approach as a further understanding about the perception of groups such as Native Americans and racial minorities Explores how transnationalism affects multiculturalism Expands the discussion on the PATRIOT Act and its impact on immigrants Offers maps showing the territorial size of the United States during the eras discussed in Chapters 2 through 6Intended Audience This is an ideal supplement for courses in Race and Ethnic Relations, Immigration History, American Studies, or other courses on diversity.

Table of Contents

Perception and Reality

What This Book Is All About

Seeing Is Believing, But Is It Knowing?

The Cultural Homogeneity Myth

The Rise, Fall, and Rise of Pluralism

The Melting Pot

The Dillingham Flaw

Understanding Today by Knowing about Yesterday

Diversity in Aboriginal America

The Larger Context

Diversity in Language

Diversity in Gender Roles

Diversity in Clothing

Diversity in Housing

Diversity in Social Organization

Diversity in Values

The Next Horizon

Diversity in Colonial Times

The Larger Context

Colonial Beginnings

Geographic Variances in Diversity

Religious Diversity

A Kaleidoscope Society

The Next Horizon

Diversity in the Early National Period

The Larger Context

Building a National Identity

Social Structure and Social Class

Religion, Power, and Group Consciousness

The Nation's First Census

Expanding Territory and Diversity

The Drop in Immigration

The Significance of Natural Population Growth

Emergence of a Common Culture

The False Horizon

Diversity in the Age of Expansion

The Larger Context

Travelers Discover the Ethnic Mosaic

The French

The Irish

The Germans

Native Americans

The Africans

The Chinese

The Mexicans

Intergroup Conflicts

The Next Horizon

Diversity in the Industrial Age

The Larger Context

Minority Family Economies

Population Diversity

African Americans

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Hispanic Americans

Native Americans

Middle Eastern Americans

Northern and Western European Americans

Southern, Central, and Eastern European Americans

Intergroup Conflicts

The Next Horizon

Diversity in the Information Age

The Larger Context

The Human Element

Institutionalizing Minority Rights

The Europeans

Asians and Pacific Islanders

Black Americans

Hispanic Americans

North Africans and Southwest Asians

Native Americans

Religious Diversity

The Next Horizon

Intergenerational Comparisons

Why Are Voices Raised Against Immigration?

Immigration Rate

Foreign-Born Population

Race in America

Mainstream Americans

Perception and Reality

The Larger Context

Today's Patterns in Perspective

Is Multiculturalism a Threat?

The Umbrellas of Multiculturalism

The Larger Context

Roses and Thorns

The Thorns of Multiculturalism

The Roses of Multiculturalism

Is Multiculturalism the Enemy?

Multiculturalism after Nine-Eleven

Government Responses

Public Response

Measuring Social Distance after Nine-Eleven

Have Attitudes Changed about Immigration?

The Larger Context

What about Tomorrow?

The Next Horizon

The Dawning of a New Century

World Population Growth

U.S. Population Predictions

The Dillingham Flaw in Reverse

Factors Influencing Change

The Challenge of Racial Diversity

Increased Religious Diversity

The Mainstreaming of Women

The Ever-Changing Mosaic

Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.