There was a time when America was segregated; Caucasians and African Americans were forced to attend different restrooms, restaurants, and water fountains. However, the era of segregation has been terminated; now America embraces and appreciates the various cultures and ethnicities that create this melting pot several people call home. Likewise, it is this melting pot, or mosaic, of races that multitudes of individuals have identified themselves with. Thus, race and ethnicity does matter for it portrays vital and crucial roles in the contemporary American society. Furthermore, ethnicity and race brings communities together in unity, determines which traditions and ideals individuals may choose to value, and imposes an impediment for it categorizes humans unjustly.
University of Phoenix Material Multicultural Matrix and Analysis Worksheet Instructions: Part I: Select and identify six groups in the left-hand column. Complete the matrix. Part II: Write a summary. Part III: Format references consistent with APA guidelines. Part I: Matrix | What is the group’s history in the United States? | What is the group’s population in the United States? | What are some attitudes and customs people of this group may practice? | What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? | 1. White Americans | Whites here in the United States are classified as individuals that have origins with the Middle East, Europeans, and North Africa (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001).
Working with diverse populations it is also important to remember that within a specific race there are different cultures and subcultures. Culture within a race includes knowledge, beliefs, morals and customs as a part of that society. It is important to remember that just because two people have the same skin color and share genetically the same race, culturally they can be very different. In North America Native Americans are unfortunately grouped together based on similar characteristics. Although many Native American tribes due share a great deal not only genetically but culturally, tribes have developed their own set of social norms and culture based on region and possible different spiritual beliefs. To further differentiate within the
There is a massive amount of ethnicities in this world. You have ethnic groups that are not necessarily related to where you came from but what group you identify yourself with. As a descendant who speaks the Spanish language we are categorized as being part of the Hispanic ethnic group. My father having twelve siblings and my mother having nine, it was a huge family. Our grandparents and parents inculcated us to be a united family with all the values and beliefs they initiated. Every ethnic group is similar but different in its own unique way. In which some have music, food and believes that characterize us as that specific ethnic group. The only difference is the way people embrace it. We also have many different types of celebrations
As a result, they are able to claim one’s ethnic identity is voluntary and symbolic. One’s family structure, surname, ranking of preferred ancestry, and intermarriage patterns affect white American’s “choice” of primary ethnic identity. Waters theorizes that symbolic ethnicity fulfills Americans values of individualism and conformity simultaneously while granting individuals the freedom of choice. In other words, symbolic ethnicity for white Americans is a way to claim membership while feeling unique and “special.” However, as Waters points out, such freedom of choice in claiming ethnicity is not guaranteed for non-white. White Americans unknowingly (or knowingly) perpetuate racism through their symbolic ethnicity because they consider all ethnic identities to be “equal” as their own, ignoring the structural inequalities faced by non-white racial minorities in the United States. They not only equate their ethnicity with non-white ethnicities, but also consider the level of discrimination and marginalization their parent and grandparent generations experienced to be similar to that of non-whites in contemporary society. However, the reality is very different—in today’s hierarchical racial structure of the United States, non-whites experience structural and interpersonal racism and because
I feel that ethnicity is closely tied to family. My family is strongly Matriarchal with all special occasions such as birthdays (including the Queen of England’s) and Christmases celebrated at one of the Grandmother’s houses. Women play an important role in my family, they are the homemakers and the ones
My cultural background is English, I am an atheist I don’t believe in much but I do strongly believe that people should be treated equality. I am a very open minded person when it comes to diversity and others beliefs. I have never experienced my views impacting others negatively I have always educated myself on other beliefs so I don’t offend them but if my views did impact others
There are two different dimensions of our identities: ethnicity and race. Ethnicity refers to one’s belonging to a specific cultural, or racial group that makes up culture, race language, and/or place of origin. For example, one can be African-American but have different ethnicities, one African-American and the other African-Caribbean decent.
A View on Multicultural America (also known as Journal 1) The author Richard Rodriguez shares his views on Americanization in the story “The Chinese in All of Us”, and even though he is of Hispanic heritage, he claims he is of his “own culture” (729). This idea is a formulation of
In Naomi Gerstel and Natalia Sarkisian’s published study “The Color of Family Ties: Race, Class, Gender, and Extended Family Involvement,” which appeared in Stephanie Coontz’s American Families: A Multicultural Reader, Gerstel and Sarkisian present their professional opinions of the popular belief in America that White families have stronger kinship ties
"Symbolic ethnicity" is a term coined by Herbert Gans. It refers to ethnicity that is individualistic in nature and without real social cost for the individual. These symbolic identifications are essentially leisure time activities, rooted in nuclear family traditions reinforced by voluntary enjoyable aspects of being ethnic (Gans 424-429). "Symbolic ethnicity" is practiced and enjoyed by white Americans. It is a way for descendants of white Europeans to learn about and be proud of their heritage. That is not the case for non-whites who are grouped together by the white majority making ethnic identity difficult .
Ethnicity point out people who share, believe they share, or are believed Through learning, families values, community relationships, and the willingness to achieve. Culture can be easily seen - the behavior of people – is the smallest part of culture. The greatest part, internal culture is inside people’s heads. It is our way of thinking and perceiving. Most importantly, it includes the values and beliefs unconsciously learned while growing up. The collision of two cultures as people come together causes us to become more aware of the differences and similarities between cultural values. By understanding the internal culture and significant values, we have a system to analyze and interpret behavior. People from around the globe bring their cultures here to American and institute them into society. Although, the United States is a culturally diverse society, there is a dominant culture and others give up their culture (depending upon where they may live) so they can fit into mainstream society. My family as other African American families changed their ways to fit into society hoping to become socially accepted because of not being members of the dominant culture. As with most societal trends, family values in all cultures are in constant motion; the list of American family values is always evolving. African
Race and Ethnicity According to Anthropologists Examining the ideas and beliefs within ones own cultural context is central to the study of Anthropology. Issues of Race and Ethnicity dominate the academic discourses of various disciplines including the field of Anthropology. Race and Ethnicity are controversial terms that are defined and used
America has often been described as a “melting pot” of cultures, where many different people of contrasting race culture and religions are able to coexist. In her book Ethnic Identity: Creation, Conflict and Accommodation Lola Romanuci-Ross analyzes how ethic identity has grown and developed over time in America. She starts of by defining how a division amongst different cultures where those of, “a common origin, of common beliefs and values form a common feeling of survival- in brief, a common
Many circumstances oblige people to move from their native country to a foreign one. From this movement of migration have emerged many ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a restraint number of persons living in a larger society and sharing the same distinct cultural heritage. Some people tend to bury