This week in lecture we have been discussing the ways in which an individual can successfully transition from their own culture into another culture, and the ways it can occur. So let’s dig in. A migrant is an individual who leaves their primary culture (where they were born or raised) and moves to a new cultural context for an extended period of time. However, not all migrants can be categorized as a whole. There are four types of migrant groups, these include sojourner, short term refugee, long term refugee, and immigrant. These groups are categorized by motivation and time spent in the new culture.
The most interesting part of this chapter to me was the migrant-host relationships. There are three parts to the migrant host relationship – assimilation, separation, and integration. Then finally when an individual uses all three of these relationships it then forms into hybridity. I began to wonder though, would one of these be easier to do than the others? Would an individual stick to only one of the relationships types? Then I began to wonder, just because an individual is in a new culture, does that mean they really desire to assimilate to the secondary culture?
Following the ways that someone can act with others in a new culture, there is also an Anxiety and Uncertainty Management Model that assume to communicate effectively we will gather information to help us reduce uncertainty and anxiety. I found it most interesting that the best way to manage anxiety and have the ability to predict others behaviors is through three key steps. First, have a solid self-concept and self-esteem. Second, have flexible attitudes and behaviors. And lastly, identify your similarities and differences while avoiding stereotypes. At the end of the day, I believe that an individual can only be as successful in transitioning into a new culture as they want to be. If they desire to be a part of something new, the transition will be much smoother for an immigrant than a long-term refugee who involuntarily
Respondent: Katherine
This week's chapter discusses transitions and what it means to be an immigrant, sojourner and a short-term or long-term refugee. Each of these terms in some way or another explain the different terms for someone who moves from there home location and culture to a new one for a temporary or permanent period or time. In Italy in the past the most common reason for Italians to move out of the country permanently or for an extended period of time was due to economic crises and political reasons in the time of anarchy and socialism. People who moved from Italy to the U.S. to earn money in order to buy land in Italy would be considered a sojourner because they came by choice and for a certain purpose, with the end goal of moving back to Italy. However, many Italians came to the United States due to political reasons with the intention of moving permanently, and they would be considered immigrants since it was long term and voluntary. However, as seen in the news more recently, Italy has had several large scale earthquakes causing much destruction within those areas and thousands of people had to relocate. These people who had to move would be considered short-term refugees because they had no choice but to move but plan to go back as soon as their homes are rebuilt.
Along with the different types of migrant groups, we also discussed the relationships between migrants and hosts along with how to manage anxiety and uncertainty when migrating to a new area. Back in the late 1800s many Italian immigrants who moved to the United States experienced much prejudice due to the growing competition among the working class. While the transition took a while, Italians began to become more accepted among the working class but were not awarded higher positions partly due to the language barriers. These language barriers were due to the fact that most Italians planned to, and did, return to Italy after making money, so they often did not make an effort to assimilate into the American culture. Instead, they portrayed more of an integration relationship since they maintained their own culture but interacted with Americans during the work day.
Researcher: Marilyn
Italians are not one of the more commonly talked about immigration groups. However, they do have a history of immigration to the United States. In his article “Italians in Urban America: A Study in Ethnic Adjustment”, Humbert S. Nelli discusses the period in history when Italians came to our country and how that process worked for them, as well as how it produced some of the Italian stereotypes of today and much more.
Between 1890 and 1920, nearly four million Italian immigrants entered the United States, commonly settling along the same streets in the same tenement houses, most likely in an attempt to surround themselves with familiar faces. Living together was ideal and preferred, as well as working together when possible. The majority of immigrants arrived in search of economic opportunities, as do many immigrants to this day.
Similar to the affect popular culture has in today’s world, the American press played a vital role in aiding immigration adjustment during these times. News of immigrant communities and reports of societies of newcomers all helped Italian-Americans in developing a sense of belonging in the United States. “The press served as a crutch for immigrants having difficulties in adapting to their new surroundings, or those unable to break away from homeland traditions” (Nelli 51)
There were three main groups of immigrants who all had a different attitude towards their new life. There was a separate group who “ignored all community institution and never expanded their loyalties or interests from the district of origin,” an assimilated group, who “made full use of some or all existing community institutions and enlarged personal horizons,” and an integrated group who “preferred to make limited use of press, societies and churches as intermediaries through which to learn American customs and ideas” (Nelli 51-52).
The criminal stereotype was developed during these times as well. Economic advancement proved quite difficult to these immigrants, so they often turned to whatever means necessary to make it by. Crime proved to provide a “quick and substantial monetary gain” (Nelli 53). American contemporaries had a general assumption that certain nationalities were susceptible to certain occupations because of inherent traits or old world influences. So the fact that Italians would often turn to crime for economic advancement was assumed to be because of ethnic history rather than the merely an available opportunity. Because of this, “many of the same bitter complaints made against Italians sixty years ago are now being leveled against these newest inhabitants…” (Nelli 55).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3002739?seq=1#fndtn-references_tab_contents
Nelli, Humbert S. “Italians in Urban America: A Study in Ethnic Adjustment.” The International Migration Review, vol. 1, no. 3, 1967, pp. 38–55. www.jstor.org/stable/3002739.
Investigator: Kendall
Every person goes through a transition when trying something new whether it be trying to fit into a new friend group, moving towns, or for this case moving to a new culture. As investigator this week, I decided instead of going for the plain details that I would try a more sensitive approach. I had the opportunity to talk to an old family friend, an Italian whose family migrated to the United States when he was young. He explained all of the obstacles his family had to overcome, being at the cusp of WWII, there were many. Times were different, but there is something that has no time frame, that is one’s love for your country, its traditions, values, all of those cultural aspects that makes it yours. Dominic is a man in his late 50s. It was interesting to get to chat with him about his experiences transitioning from Sicily to moving to the United States with his parents. And then seeing how he reflected his childhood to that of his children’s. His biggest revelation was that no matter the century, his family always remained true to his Italian core values.
Italians worked tirelessly to become competent people in a different culture, preserving their cultural traditions. After years, and successful settlement, political, social, and economical issues, made them move to a different country, the US. Although it was a hard transition, it was what their family needed to do. Yet no one in that family would have expected to live the same process more than half a century later. It just shows us how difficult life can get sometimes, and how external situations can suddenly change the course of our life’s. Regarding the differences and similarities between their adaptations from Sicily and the US, Dominic explained to me that it was an extremely hard transition for a few main reasons. Here in the US, there is way more competition, hence people are more individualistic and do not want foreigners to take their opportunities. Thus, they make the adaptation process harder than it should be. In addition, he considers Americans to be more exclusive when it comes to foreign newcomers.
Interestingly, this blog made me more understanding of those that have been obligated to migrate, and how we should make their transition as smooth as possible. We possess the power to help those escaping from unlucky situations, spend amusing moments and adapt to an unknown culture, so we ought to do it. Finally, I would like to conclude with a phrase that he told me, “No matter where you go, there will always be people worth meeting, who’ll make you believe is not the place, but the people”.
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