Multicultural Matrix and Analysis SOC/315 Version

Criminal Justice

Multicultural Matrix and Analysis Worksheet

Instructions:

Select and identify six groups in the left-hand column. Complete the matrix.

Write a summary.

Format references consistent with APA guidelines.

Matrix

What is the group's history in the United States?

What is the group's population in the United States?

What are some attitudes and customs people of this group may practice?

What is something you admire about this group's people, lifestyle, or society?

Sioux

The Sioux is a group of Native American tribes, related by language, that were based in the Great Plains. In the 1800s, westward expansion and white settlement led the U.S. government to by force remove the Sioux from their native lands onto reservations. Anger over these removals and poor treatment by the federal government ultimately boiled over into armed confrontation, which ended in the Great Sioux War of 1876-77 and the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, which finally broke Sioux resistance.

Today, there are an estimated 160,000 individuals of Sioux descent in the United States.

Sioux men obtained status by performing brave deeds in warfare; horses and scalps obtained in a raid were substantiation of valor. Community policing was performed by men's military societies, the most important duty of which was to oversee the buffalo hunt. Women's societies normally focused on fertility, healing, and the overall well-being of the group.

They are very adamant people. Their beliefs are strong and they will fight for them to the very bitter end.

2) African-Americans

The history of African-Americans in the United States is one of both vast suffering and elevated hope. Two and a half centuries of slavery and segregation prevented black men and women from exercising the rights of citizenship taken for granted by whites in the nation. The struggle for freedom was long and difficult and included, among other tactics, litigation, marches, and sit-ins. It was also almost universally nonviolent

Today, there are approximately 38.9 million African-Americans in the United States.

African-American culture is rooted in Africa. It is a blend of sub-Saharan African and Sahelean cultures. Although slavery greatly restricted the ability of Americans of African descent to practice their cultural traditions, many practices, values, and beliefs survived and over time have modified or blended with white culture. There are some facets of African-American culture that were accentuated by the slavery period. The result is a unique and dynamic culture that has had and continues to have a profound impact on mainstream American culture, as well as the culture of the broader world.

They are very adamant people. Their beliefs are strong and they will fight for them to the very bitter end.

3) Hispanic-Americans

The Spanish-speaking citizens of the United States who were incorporated into the country as a result of the Mexican War are called Mexican-Americans. Their numbers have since increased as a result of immigration. Other Spanish-speaking citizens came from Cuba and Puerto Rico, and smaller numbers are immigrants from Central and South America and from the Dominican Republic. Taken together, these people are called Hispanics, or Latinos.

Hispanics today form the fastest-growing ethnic minority in the United States. Numbering about 48.4 million in 2009, they make up the second largest minority in the nation,

Traditionally, the Hispanic family is a close-knit group and the most important social unit. The Hispanic family unit includes not only parents and children but also extended family. In most Hispanic families, the father is the head of the family, and the mother is responsible for the home. Individuals within a family have a moral responsibility to aid other members of the family experiencing financial problems, unemployment, poor health conditions, and other life issues.

They put family first and always set out to take care of each other.

4) Muslim and Arab-Americans

The Arab region and its diasporas have become increasingly central to U.S. history and politics. Immigration and displacement by war and the forces of global economy are among the factors that have sparked movements of Arab people to the United States. Arabic-speaking individuals and communities have been living in the Americas for centuries.

Today, an estimated 3.5 million Arabs and Arab-Americans live in the United States.

Overall, Muslim Americans have a generally positive view of the larger society. Most say their communities are excellent or good places to live. A large majority of Muslim Americans believe that hard work pays off in this society. Almost 71% agree that most people who want to get ahead in the United States can make it if they are willing to work hard.

Despite an adversity that...

After the California gold rush brought thousands of Chinese to California, however, Asian immigrants faced restrictive laws and occasional violence. In the late 1800s, Asians were excluded from citizenship. These laws were repealed during World War II, followed by further immigration-law changes, making it easier for Asians to enter the United States. Today, Asian immigrants have a high rate of assimilation and participation in the American mosaic.
Today there are an estimated 5.6 billion Asian-Americans living in the United States.

Asian-Americans commonly face challenges in establishing cultural identity. This is especially true of second-generation immigrants who struggle with the balance of traditional cultural ideas and the pressure of assimilating into the very different American cultural society. When working with individuals of Asian ancestry it is important to understand three of the main Eastern philosophies and their impact upon Asian culture

They believe in family and work very hard to overcome the stereotypes that have been placed on them by society.

6) Jewish-Americans

The first Jewish immigrants to settle in the United States were 23 Sephardic Jews who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654. Although this group of men, women, and children from Dutch Brazil initially faced resistance from Governor Peter Stuyvesant, they were allowed to settle after Jews in Amsterdam applied pressure on the Dutch West India Company. In addition to Spain, Sephardic Jews came from various Mediterranean countries as well as from England, Holland, and the Balkans. The number of Jews in Colonial America grew slowly but steadily so that by 1776 there were approximately 2,500 Jews in America.

Today there are approximately 6.5 million Jewish-Americans in the United Sates.

What binds the group together is a common Jewish heritage as passed down from generation to generation. For many Jews, the binding force is Judaism, a term usually referring to the Jewish religion but sometimes used to refer to all Jews. There are, however, Jewish atheists and agnostics, and one does not have to be religious to be Jewish. In general, one is Jewish if born of a Jewish mother or if he or she converts to Judaism.

There are very family oriented and stick together in order to fight for what they believe in.

Part II:

Analysis

Summarize what you learned from this activity in a 350-700-word analysis of the advantages of a multicultural society and labor force. Use the following questions to guide your writing:

How has U.S. society used each group's culture to construct the group identity? How has each group been stereotyped? How accurate are these stereotypes?

How does the social concept of race relate to each group? What prejudice has each group faced?

How do the behavior and thinking patterns of U.S. culture apply to each group, especially regarding class systems and employment?

The transformation of the United States into the multicultural society that it is did not happen overnight. The notion of equal treatment or any inferior ethnic group's effort at advancement and integration was met by stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, if it was not assimilation. In every scenario the background story remains the same, each group has been faced with adversity over the years. The good thing is that over time things do change and as more researchers, writers, teachers, and Politian's work to bring national and global awareness to these inequalities U.S. society has been forced to adjust in various areas, with the workforce being one of the largest areas.

Diversity allows people to capitalize on unique skills and areas of expertise. Careful attention must be given to joint understanding and appreciation of individual differences. Increasing the sense of affirmative cultural identity is a significant feature of founding a viable partnership. People may consciously or subconsciously interject ethnic values, attitudes or behaviors into the dynamics of the larger group. Factors that impact the degree to which diverse cultures interact with existing cultures include: the motive for immigration, what was wanted and what was left behind, the place of residence an ethnic or non- ethnic region, the socioeconomic status, education and upward mobility, the political and religious ties to the ethnic group, the spoken languages, the degree of family intermarriage with or connection to other ethnic groups and the person's attitude toward the ethnic group and its values (Smith, Miller, Archer and Hague, n.d.).

The multicultural society of American has several groups that all have their own contributions to the history of America. The entry of the ethnic group in America has included difficulties such as facing stereotypes and discrimination. The U.S. society…