Explain how Asian-Americans resistance to assimilation relates to their current social status in the U.S.?

Question

Describe what makes it possible for a culture within a culture to retain a distinct identity.

Answer 1

there just being stubborn.

Answer 2

That's helluva essay question. I would consider the following points:

•First consider what assimilation means? It is more than integration. Assimilation requires absorption. Think of the example of the aborigines in Australia. The government there ran an explicit policy of assimilating the aborigine race into the white colonialist power. The effect of this was to wipe out the aborigine race or reduce it. See john pilger’s works on this (Google it).
•Look at the current social status of americium Asians, look at the pressures their face, financial and political
•How are they viewed by the public/media and the government?
•Are their respected and valued?
•Now look at the government you have in power what is its attitude toward such people what is the government’s agenda? And do the Asians have something to fear from this?

Help with conclusion: Assimilation is really quite a dangerous thing, it has been responsible for wiping out indigenous peoples, so it might be promoted as a good thing but you really have to analyze its meaning, it’s about overriding something with something else, in this case people. They can maintain their distinct culture because of their inherent differences and values, their identity, and as long as they resist assimilation/absorption, and they respect integration then everyone can maintain their respective cultural identities. The idea that groups are just stubborn and don;t want 'our freedoms' etc is a myth propagated by government's afraid of losing revenue from cultres that start influencing their lives with more ethical values such as getting rid of poverty.

This is how you can approach the question. Hope that helps

Answer 3

I hope you're not relying on just hunch becoz as far as Asians are concern they can assimilate far more easier than other cultural minorities, it is perhaps of the American influence in the pacific and Asian countries like Japan, China (Taiwan), The Philippines, Korea and others. And also becoz they know their own culture well. Asians in general are friendly and religious so they can really adapt in any situation at hand, maybe except for those few who are intolerant to other culture. But for us Pilipinos we can very well assimilate with ease. Our Pilipino trait of being accommodating, friendly and hospitable gives us that feeling of confidence to adapt and be a part of anything worth while. And we also know a lot of the American history, because it was taught in Philippine schools. For a short period of time we were under the rule of the of the Americans (USA). And before the Pacific war, after Spain ceded the Philippines to the US, Thomasites were sent to the Philippines as educators. And it was because of these that we came to understand much of American culture and in a way adapted a bit of it, thus the ease in assimilating into the American way of life.

Answer 4

You make it sound like some kind of "conspiracy".

Lol. Most asians I know in Canada are pretty well integrated within Canadian society, voting, even sometimes watching hockey, and discussing Canadian politics intellegently while retaining their own culture.

Most of them are also really hard working and pretty successful in their career. (I'm including Orientals and South east asians in this discussion, although the groups are quite distinct and most definately integrate in different ways.)

Ones culture is mostly a personal thing. As long as you are a productive member of society you can adapt pretty well without losing your identity. The asians that come here tend to be pretty smart and/or pretty motivated. They have family pressure that is
quite intense with respect to obtaining education and working hard, and/or enterprenerial spirit.

I'm generalizing of course but can't avoid that given the question.

i firmly believe there "resistance" is independent to their success.

Answer 5

Well, resistance to assimilation makes life hard in American society because of the power of those who are in control of society. I wouldn't necessarily say it's just Asian-Americans who face this problem but when your ethnic community accepts you the way you are there is no pressure to assimilate as long as you stay in the comfort of the community's boundaries.

In order to have the "best of both worlds" - live according to "American" standards and yet maintain their own culture, people just need to be educated from both sides. Many people with roots outside the US lose their cultural identity because they are not educated about it, especially generations that have grown up in the US. Even the history of the cultural group in the US is not included in "US History" so it's up to the individual to pursue anything that pertains to cultural history.

Answer 6

faith and language bypass a exceptionally far distance to protecting them in contact with their community custom. even at the same time as Asians are individuals of mainstream American religions, they are going to many times preserve an jap flavour which has a tendency to cause them to unique. a particular experience of heritage and grounding contained in the arts and music also facilitates them to preserve their identity.

Answer 7

It seems to me they have assimilated better than other races.

Answer 8

first you have to have a strong will and believe in yourself. after that all falls in place.