America as a multinational society

Sociology

Prospectus:

How America came to be a multinational society

The idea of multiculturalism and the blurring of national identity have received great attention in the last decade. But in truth, the idea of America as a crossroads for the worlds has been one set, in theory if not in practice, in the ideas of the founding fathers. The idea of a typical American has changed over the last one hundred years from that of a Caucasian male business man, the leader of the nuclear family with a stay at home wife and 2.3 children to something that is not so easily qualified or quantified. Is the idea of America as a multicultural nation really all that new an idea, or are we just more ready to embrace diversity in all its colors as it truly always has been within the United States?

Description of the Project:

will perform a selective review of the major literature available describing the history of multiculturalism within the population of the United States and it is my belief that I will be able to demonstrate that multiculturalism is a new catchword but an old idea. I believe that history and the literature will show that racial diversity and multicultural populations have existed but not been acknowledged in the United States since before it's inception as an independent country, and it is my belief that the study will show that not only are we moving toward more diversity but are being shoved toward a world that, for practicality if not for right, will be essentially and ultimately color blind.

Preliminary Bibliography:

Banting, Keith. "Multiculturalism and Welfare" Dissent, Fall 2003. This article tends to associate the idea of multiculturalism with immigration, appearing to ignore the fact that the first Caucasians who came to the United States were met by people of color who were the true founding fathers. It describes the policies surrounding financial support for those who come to this country, in the form of medical care or social financial support as "multiculturalist policies" and seems to paint the idea of a multicultural society with the same brush as a welfare society. It compares the relative ease in which racially homogenous societies administer welfare systems, yet goes on to remark that studies indicate that there are no significant relationships in the countries studied which associate the adoption of multiculturalism and an erosion of the welfare state. It does not support the idea of multiculturalism.

Chavez, Linda. "Demystifying Multiculturalism - myth that the U.S. white population is on the decline and there is no one single American culture." National Review. Feb 21, 1994. This article describes to roots of the movement towards multiculturalism, but seems to feel that without significant government support it would no longer exist as an idea. It gives rise to the idea that the American identity is one in which different groups are incorporated, and always has been thus. It warns against the danged of trying to change newcomers to the United States into cookie cutter Americans, and describes the pendulum swing between total assimilation and the idea of separating American groups based on Ethnicity and color.

Dalrymple, Theodore. "The conflict at home - how do you like your multiculturalism now?" National Review October 15, 2001. This article describes some of the shallower and unrealistic aspects of multiculturalism, such as the idea that at some point there will never be conflict between cultures and that time is now. It reviews the idea that some cultures are not comfortable moving into the Western culture, but for reasons of safety or political asylum are they required to do so. Some do well, some do not. It refers specifically not only to past feelings that other countries had against westerners, as well as the current tide of feeling surround Muslims in the Unite States. It paints a picture that shows not all people want to assimilate, and brings forward the idea that even multiculturalism is a limited ideal.

Glazer, Nathan. American Diversity and the 2000 Census." Public Interest. Summer 2001. This article makes an interesting study of how the census has changed over the years since it's inception within the United States in 1970, when the separation between blacks and whites had already been made. It reviews the interesting and abhorrent premise that at one time in our history a slave was meant to count as three-fifths of a person, for the reason of census accounting. It also makes note of the fact that the census of 2000 marked the first time that it was possible for a respondent to choose more than one race. This article is particularly interesting as it speculates on a future when it is no longer possible to separate people into minorities on the basis of race, simply because of cross culturalism.

San Juan, E. "Asian-American melting pot" Asia Times. June 14, 2005. This short article states there is an automatic prejudice against Asians within the United States, laughing at the idea of any kind of homogeneity of the Asian-Americans and referring to both near and far history in which Asians have been discriminated against in the United States. The author deals with the stereotype of Asians as the "model minority" and decries the change of something once considered to be exotic into a "plain American pie" the author is strong in his opinions but gives and interesting historical perspective to the idea that Asians in America will never fully be able to integrate nor should they want to.

Wooster, Martin Morse. "Multiculturalism damages liberalism" American Enterprise Jan-Feb 2002. This brief article brings forth the idea that multiculturalism is actually an attempt to change what is at the heart of American democratic processes and undermines the fabric of the United States in that we allow dominance of factions and the governmental enforcement of group relations. It is a brief but scary look at the "other side."

O'Sullivan, John. "Nationhood: an American activity" National Review Feb 21, 1994. This article sits at cross purposes to the previous one, stating that only with the emergence and continuation of multiculturalism can the United States continue to evolve as a democracy. It puts forward the idea that the stronger a sense of nationhood, the more people feel like brothers and one another, and that this will be the ultimate end to multiculturist policies. It also gives a nice history of ethnically diverse, and monoethnic societies, and what happens in them both.

Salins, Peter D. "Assimilation, American Style." Reason Feb 1997. This article investigates the idea that, multiculturalist or not, many American believe that in order for immigrants to assimilate they must leave behind all that about them that came from the old and conform to the custom of the majority. If not, they will forever remain strangers in a strange land. It reviews the idea of cultural pluralism as the predecessor of multiculturalism and describes its application in other countries. The dimensions of assimilation are also described as well as bringing into question some of the tried and true definitions of "what is an American." Can we only be stronger by jumping into the melting pot and making some kind of an alloy?