ASSIMILATION

Sociologyindex, Sociology Books 2009

Where an ethnic group loses distinctiveness and becomes absorbed into a majority culture.

A striking example of the choice of social identity is the phenomenon of assimilation, by which members of a minority group choose to adopt the social behavior of the dominant group (Lazear (1999)).

Some sociologists suggest that the process can create a new culture resulting from the fusion of the cultures of different ethnic groups into a new blend, but the term integration is usually chosen by sociologists to suggest this blending of divergent cultures.

Social assimilation has been observed in many societies where members of the minority group suffer from discrimination.

The rate of social assimilation of blacks in the U.S. has increased dramatically since the civil rights movement of the 60’s.

The concept of assimilation is useful when discussing the persistence of minority cultures within host societies.

Statistical Discrimination and Social Assimilation
Francis BLOCH, GREQAM, Ecole Superieure de Mecanique de Marseille
Vijayendra RAO, Development Research Group, The World Bank
Abstract: Social assimilation has been observed in many societies where members of the minority group suffer from discrimination. In this note, we provide a simple economic model of assimilation and show that the adoption of the social behavior of the dominant group can be used as a signal by high productivity members of the minority group. - economicsbulletin.vanderbilt.edu

How Did White Women Reformers with the Southern Utes
Respond to Gendered Assimilationist Indian Policies?
Abstract: Documents left by white women reformers on the Southern Ute reservation in the early twentieth century illuminate several historical trends in Indian Affairs. Every one of these women--field matrons, school teachers, and volunteer women--advocated altering Indian gender roles to reflect Euro-American values and behavior. Indeed, they saw this transformation as the basis of Indian "progress." Ironically, this agenda generated numerous civil service jobs for white and assimilated Indian women who carried the vision to schools and homes. Thus, women professionals in the dominant culture found employment in the Indian Service as advocates of a conventional role for Indian women--economically dependent homemaker. The documents in this project reveal that gender not only provided a focus for assimilationist activities, but also played a major role in the creation of Indian policy. - binghamton.edu/womhist/utewom/abstract.htm