Ethnic Diversity in America
Discussion Outline
I. White Identity and privilege
II. Rediscovering Ethnicity
III. Ethnic Diversity and Historical Immigration
I. White Identity
• English Immigrants established white identity and the
privileges that went along with it
• European ethnics assimilated and distanced
themselves from oppressed groups to become a part of
the dominant group
– Language
– Religion
– Cultural practices
• Most immigrants were not “white on arrival” but became “white”
• Can you tell when someone is second or third generation Swedish
American, Irish American, or German American
• Most whites do not think of themselves as white
or have a conscious racial identity the same way
other racial groups often do
• Whiteness is often invisible
– Whites are not reminded of their whiteness often
• Who are you? What is your identity?
• Who is our current president? Who was the last president?
• White privilege
– Rights granted as a benefit or favor of being white
• Does it exist?
– Peggy McIntosh article
The Rediscovery of Ethnicity
• Blended Identity
– A self image and worldview that is a combination
of Religious faith, cultural background based on
nationality, and status as resident or citizen of the
United States
• Moving freely among different identities in one’s daily
life
– Complexity of identity can lead to some confusion
• The deficit model of ethnic identity
– A view that states that others view one’s identity
as a factor of subtracting away characteristics
corresponding to some ideal ethnic type
• Divisions and confusion arise in ethnic communities as
to who can be counted a member of the community
• What does it mean to be a perfect Arab American,
Mexican American, or Chinese American?
– People may view others as either too ethnic or too American
• The Third Generation Principle
– “What the son wishes to Forget, the Grandson
wishes to remember”
• Ethnic Paradox
– Refers to the maintenance of one’s ethnic ties in a
way that can assist with assimilation into the
larger society
• Immigrant youth and adults who maintain some ties to
their ethnic ties have higher rates of success in society
• Symbolic Ethnicity
– Embraced mainly by ethnic whites
– Ethnicity today involves the symbols of ethnicity and
support for certain political issues, but it is mainly symbolic
and does not interfere with one’s daily life
• What country is the largest single source of
ancestry in the United States?
Historical Immigration Patterns
– A nation of Immigrants with differing experiences
• German Americans: Immigration began in 1700’s and
between 1830 and 1890, German accounted for ¼ of
immigrants
• Irish Americans-Immigration dates back to 1600’s with
major influx during the great potato famine of 1840’s
– Were historically discrimnated against in U.S. and equated with
black Americans during 1800’s-The Irish “grasped for whiteness”
– In 2009, 36.9 million Americans identified themselves as Irish
 eight times the current population of Ireland itself.
 Massachusetts has the largest concentration (24%)
• Italian Immigrants-Mass migration after 1880’s
into 20th century
– Suffering discrimination in the job market, crime
became a means of upward mobility
– Created modern stereotype of Italians as criminals