DOCSLIB.ORG

The Impact of Race, Class and Gender on Second-Generation Caribbean Immigrants’ Assimilation Patterns Into the United States

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

The Impact of Race, Class and Gender on Second-Generation Caribbean Immigrants’ Assimilation Patterns into the United States Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in The Graduate School of The Ohio State University. By Mauricia Alissa John, M.Sc. Graduate Program in Rural Sociology The Ohio State University 2012 Dissertation Committee Dr. Linda Lobao, Advisor Dr. Joseph Donnermeyer Dr. Kristi Lekies Dr. Lazarus Adua Copyright by Mauricia Alissa John 2012 ABSTRACT The premise of this research rests on the idea that race, class and gender are all central to the immigrants’ experience and that assimilation into the dominant culture is influenced by the immigrants’ national origin, the immigrants’ gender and his or her family’s socioeconomic status. I draw from the classical assimilation model proposed by (Gordon, 1964) to construct measures of assimilation and I also employ the contemporary assimilation model proposed by Gans (1992) and Portes and Rumbaut (1996) to examine the ways in which race, class and gender affect the immigrants’ registration to vote, proficiency in English, educational achievement and the decision to out-marry/partner. I employ the Children of Immigrants’ Longitudinal Study to determine the assimilation patterns of second-generation immigrants from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and the West Indies to the United States. I examine the effects of parental social class on the subsequent assimilation patterns of their children in young adulthood at an average age of 24. For race and ethnicity, I hypothesize that there should be no racial and ethnic differences relative to language proficiency. I hypothesize that racial and ethnic groups ii with weaker ties to their countries of origin should be more politically active in the host society. I hypothesize that those immigrants belonging to larger ethnic enclaves should be less likely to out-marry/partner. Lastly I hypothesize that Afro-Caribbeans should be likely to attain higher levels of education because they are economically motivated to migrate. With regard to social class, I hypothesize that parents with higher levels of economic resources and education should rear children that are more proficient in English and who attain higher levels of education. I also hypothesize that immigrants belonging to higher socio-economic groups should be more likely to out-marry/partner because they are likely to form ties and stronger relationships with the dominant culture. Lastly, I expect that immigrants with higher levels of education should be more politically active because they understand and value the importance of civic involvement. In terms of gender, I hypothesize that girls should be more proficient in English compared to boys due to the gender dynamic in child rearing in the Caribbean. I hypothesize that women should be more likely to out-marry/partner compared to men due to the transformation in gender roles. Lastly, I expect that there should be no differences between males and females relative to civic engagement and educational attainment. Results indicate that race, class and gender are all significantly related to the assimilation of second-generation Caribbean immigrants. However, class trumps race for this population sample—parents’ socioeconomic status is most significantly related to the four measures of assimilation. Even though both classical and contemporary models of iii assimilation were used in the dissertation to guide the research, findings suggest that neither of these models fully explain the integration of second-generation Caribbean immigrants. This study shows that second-generation Caribbean immigrants are more representative of a linear path as opposed to a segmented path towards assimilation. iv DEDICATION Dedicated to my parents Irmin and John-Albert, my sister Marsha John and my grandmother, Gloria John. v ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I am thankful to all of my advisors for their selfless amounts of time and supervision, and for being my mentors throughout my graduate career in the rural sociology program. I am indebted to Dr. Linda Lobao because she has been instrumental in my admittance into the rural sociology program and she has continued to guide and shape me into the academic scholar that I am today. I am grateful to her for teaching me to treat my dissertation not just as the end of my graduate work, but the beginning of a wonderful career and future ahead of me. Her goal has always been for me to mature scholastically, capitalize on my strengths and to create the most meaningful and competitive work in my field of study. I am obliged to Linda for her consistently brilliant ideas for improving my research --thank you Linda for helping me to see the “forest and not just the trees.” Without you I would not be the rural sociologist that I am today. Dr. Joe Donnermeyer has been a great mentor; his advice to me has always been direct, intelligent and practical. On many occasions Joe has helped me to see the humor in situations by teaching me to be less intense, which is my usual approach to my work and career. Joe has also taught me the art of making light of situations that would vi otherwise seem devastating to me. Thank you Joe for your continued support, advice and for breaking up the monotony with your eclectic sense of humor and stories that always put a smile on my face. I am forever appreciative to you for molding me into becoming a great lecturer. Dr. Cathy Rakowski has also been a great source of knowledge and guidance throughout my journey; she has been instrumental in assisting me in honing in on my research questions and she always goes above and beyond in any task of which I have asked her to be a part. Thank you Cathy for giving of your time and effort selflessly during this process. Moreover, I am truly thankful to Linda, Joe and Cathy for the endless letters of recommendations they wrote on my behalf; you have all been instrumental in helping me to secure my job at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania; thank you for your patience and willingness to help me succeed in my career. Dr. Kristi Lekies, though I’ve only recently gotten to know her, has always been willing, enthusiastic and has generously rendered her time and assistance to me. Thank you Kristi for your words of wisdom, for your support and patience throughout this process. Dr. Lazarus Adua has also been a great inspiration to me throughout the months leading up to my defense. He has given of his time, knowledge and expertise in statistical modeling unselfishly. Thank you Lazarus for your time, advice and all of your hard work in helping me realize my goals. My dissertation and my journey over the past four years would not have been possible without the assistance, support and encouragement from my parents. I will be vii forever grateful for the emotional and financial support they provided me throughout this process. My mother Irmin, has always been for me, a voice of reason, calm and reassurance; she taught me the value and importance of prayer and always provided that vote of confidence when I encountered obstacles throughout my academic career. My mother has always been my mentor, friend and supporter. My father, John though he never says much has always been my pillar of strength, his foremost hope for me is regardless of the path I take in life, his support, love and provision for whatever I needed would be unending. My dad remains my silent motivator and voice of reason. My sister Marsha continues to believe in my dreams and her advice has also been invaluable along the way—she has been my best friend and exemplary throughout this process. My grandmother Gloria has been a tremendous source of strength, her prayers, well wishes and positivity has kept me motivated, inspired and optimistic about my future and direction in life. My uncle Clinton has also been instrumental in my graduate career; I am indebted to him for his generosity, support and eagerness to help me succeed. I am also thankful to Brian Soller and Dmitry Tumin, who have both assisted me tremendously with the statistical modeling of my research. Their advice, knowledge and expertise have been crucial in the successful completion of my dissertation and words cannot express how thankful I am for their assistance, proficiency, and your generosity of time. I have also to thank, my friends and colleagues in the rural sociology program for their support, positivity and encouragement over the past four years. I am grateful to have viii met such intelligent, industrious and committed rural sociologists. Thank you to, Joe Campbell, Corey Anderson, Rebecca Som Castellano, Godwin Apaliyah, Molly Bean, Danielle Deemer, Hong Anh Nguyen, Angela Thatcher and Anjel Stough-Hunter for your support throughout my journey. Lastly, I am obliged to the administrative staff here in the school for their efficiency and willingness to get things done in a timely manner—thank you to Amy Schmidt, India Fuller and Mary Capoccia for your organization and proficient service to me as a graduate student. ix VITA May, 2005…………………………………………………B.S. Business Economics June, 2007……………………………………………M.Sc. Development Economics September 2008 to Present…………………………..Graduate Teaching Associate, School of Environmental and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Rural Sociology x TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract..…………………………………………………………………………………..ii Dedication …………………………………………......………………………………….v Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………….
Recommended publications
  • Social Contacts and the Economic Performance of Immigrants: a Panel Study of Immigrants in Germany

    Social Contacts and the Economic Performance of Immigrants: a Panel Study of Immigrants in Germany

    IZA DP No. 5775 Social Contacts and the Economic Performance of Immigrants: A Panel Study of Immigrants in Germany Agnieszka Kanas Barry R. Chiswick Tanja van der Lippe Frank van Tubergen June 2011 DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit Institute for the Study of Labor Social Contacts and the Economic Performance of Immigrants: A Panel Study of Immigrants in Germany Agnieszka Kanas Utrecht University Barry R. Chiswick George Washington University and IZA Tanja van der Lippe Utrecht University Frank van Tubergen Utrecht University Discussion Paper No. 5775 June 2011 IZA P.O. Box 7240 53072 Bonn Germany Phone: +49-228-3894-0 Fax: +49-228-3894-180 E-mail: [email protected] Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research published in this series may include views on policy, but the institute itself takes no institutional policy positions. The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn is a local and virtual international research center and a place of communication between science, politics and business. IZA is an independent nonprofit organization supported by Deutsche Post Foundation. The center is associated with the University of Bonn and offers a stimulating research environment through its international network, workshops and conferences, data service, project support, research visits and doctoral program. IZA engages in (i) original and internationally competitive research in all fields of labor economics, (ii) development of policy concepts, and (iii) dissemination of research results and concepts to the interested public. IZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion.
  • Transformative Effects of Immigration Law: Immigrants’ Personal and Social Metamorphoses Through Regularization1

    Transformative Effects of Immigration Law: Immigrants’ Personal and Social Metamorphoses Through Regularization1

    Transformative Effects of Immigration Law: Immigrants’ Personal and Social Metamorphoses through Regularization1 Cecilia Menjívar Sarah M. Lakhani University of Kansas University of California, Berkeley This article examines the enduring alterations in behaviors, practices, and self-image that immigrants’ evolving knowledge of and partici- pation in the legalization process facilitate. Relying on close to 200 interviews with immigrants from several national origin groups in Los Angeles and Phoenix, the authors identify transformations that indi- viduals enact in their intimate and in their civic lives as they come in contact with U.S. immigration law en route to and as a result of reg- ularization. Findings illustrate the power of the state to control indi- viduals’ activities and mind-sets in ways that are not explicitly formal or bureaucratic. The barriers the state creates, which push immigrants to the legal margins, together with anti-immigrant hostility, create con- ditions under which immigrants are likely to undertake transformative, lasting changes in their lives. These transformations reify notions of the deserving immigrant vis-à-vis the law, alter the legalization pro- cess for the immigrant population at large, and, ultimately, shape in- tegration dynamics. INTRODUCTION Recent scholarship has highlighted the effects of immigration law, through the legal statuses it creates, on various aspects of immigrants’ lives. Researchers 1 We would like to thank Sebástien Chauvin, Jaeeun Kim, Walter Nicholls, and Michele Waslin, as well as the AJS reviewers, for their insightful comments. We would also like to thank the audience members who commented during presentations to the Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California, the Department of Sociology at UCLA, the © 2016 by The University of Chicago.
  • Re-Reading Citizenship and the Transnational Practices of Immigrants’ Micheline Labelle*

    Re-Reading Citizenship and the Transnational Practices of Immigrants’ Micheline Labelle*

    ‘Re-reading citizenship and the transnational practices of immigrants’ Micheline Labelle* *Micheline Labelle, Director at the Center for Research on Immigration, Ethnicity and Citizenship (CRIEC), Department of Sociology, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Franklin Midy, Department of Sociology, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). From being an issue of low political importance, international immigration has now become a high priority on the political agenda, particularly in relation to security, development aid and clandestine immigration. Several authors have noted a growing convergence of immigration control instruments, of social integration policies for immigrants, and of the promotion of a citizenship ideology in industrialized countries (Cornelius, Martin, and Hollifield, 1994: 3). All Western countries are presently involved in controlling asylum requests and the flow of people without identity papers, as well as curbing recourse to services provide by the welfare state, and keeping a close eye on the cultural, religious and political practices which are playing themselves out in metropolitan areas. In Canada, for example, it is noteworthy that there has been a clear protectionist shift in immigration policy over the past decade. The Canadian government is also active on the ideological front, seeking to enhance the value of its passport and to define and promote Canadian citizenship along with its underlying values and obligations. This offensive goes beyond the issue of controlling immigration; it is linked to the first nations question, the issue of Quebec, and the neo-liberal shift affecting the management of the state. A similar offensive is underway in the USA. Within immigrant populations there is a parallel trend.
  • Crafting Colombianidad: Race, Citizenship and the Localization of Policy in Philadelphia

    Crafting Colombianidad: Race, Citizenship and the Localization of Policy in Philadelphia

    CRAFTING COLOMBIANIDAD: RACE, CITIZENSHIP AND THE LOCALIZATION OF POLICY IN PHILADELPHIA A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by Diane R. Garbow July 2016 Examining Committee Members: Judith Goode, Advisory Chair, Department of Anthropology Naomi Schiller, Department of Anthropology Melissa Gilbert, Department of Geography and Urban Studies Ana Y. Ramos-Zayas, External Member, City University of New York © Copyright 2016 by Diane R. Garbow All Rights Reserved ii ABSTRACT In contrast to the municipalities across the United States that restrict migration and criminalize the presence of immigrants, Philadelphia is actively seeking to attract immigrants as a strategy to reverse the city’s limited economic and political importance caused by decades of deindustrialization and population loss. In 2010, the population of Philadelphia increased for the first time in six decades. This achievement, widely celebrated by the local government and in the press, was only made possible through increased immigration. This dissertation examines how efforts to attract migrants, through the creation of localized policy and institutions that facilitate incorporation, transform assertions of citizenship and the dynamics of race for Colombian migrants. The purpose of this research is to analyze how Colombians’ articulations of citizenship, and the ways they extend beyond juridical and legal rights, are enabled and constrained under new regimes of localized policy. In the dissertation, I examine citizenship as a set of performances and practices that occur in quotidian tasks that seek to establish a sense of belonging. Without a complex understanding of the effects of local migration policy, and how they differ from the effects of federal policy, we fail to grasp how Philadelphia’s promotion of migration has unstable and unequal effects for differentially situated actors.
  • The Sociology of Refugee Migration

    The Sociology of Refugee Migration

    SO44CH19_FitzGerald ARI 20 June 2018 14:27 Annual Review of Sociology The Sociology of Refugee Migration David Scott FitzGerald and Rawan Arar Department of Sociology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA; email: dfi[email protected], [email protected] Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2018. 44:387–406 Keywords First published as a Review in Advance on asylum, citizenship, integration, migration, refugee, violence April 4, 2018 The Annual Review of Sociology is online at Abstract soc.annualreviews.org Theorization in the sociology of migration and the field of refugee studies https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-073117- has been retarded by a path-dependent division that we argue should be Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2018.44:387-406. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org 041204 broken down by greater mutual engagement. Excavating the construction of Copyright c 2018 by Annual Reviews. the refugee category reveals how unwarranted assumptions shape contempo- All rights reserved Access provided by 2601:240:c400:fdd0:e1ec:f494:1bd9:c4ae on 08/27/18. For personal use only. rary disputes about the scale of refugee crises, appropriate policy responses, and suitable research tools. Empirical studies of how violence interacts with economic and other factors shaping mobility offer lessons for both fields. Adapting existing theories that may not appear immediately applicable, such as household economy approaches, helps explain refugees’ decision-making processes. At a macro level, world systems theory sheds light on the inter- active policies around refugees across states of origin, mass hosting, asylum, transit, and resettlement. Finally, focusing on the integration of refugees in the Global South reveals a pattern that poses major challenges to theories of assimilation and citizenship developed in settler states of the Global North.
  • 4120 PRHTF OUTP Polulation Report Cover Web

    4120 PRHTF OUTP Polulation Report Cover Web

    The Changing Face of the Empire State: Latinos, Portuguese and Brazilians in Upstate New York Part of an ongoing series of briefs prepared by the New York State Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force Hon. Sheldon Silver, Speaker Hon. Peter M. Rivera, Chair Prepared by Michael Fondacaro Edited by Guillermo A. Martinez April 2006 Preface Today, the headlines that once declared our rise to being the largest ethnic minority in the nation have been replaced with headlines proclaiming that the “Sleeping Giant” has awoken. Reactionary immigration policies have prompted diligent action from our communities that have in turn placed millions of people in protest marches across the nation. A new civil rights movement has been born. The work of the New York State Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force is fueled by such passionate demands for justice and fairness. It is clearly obvious that no wall, no army, no policy will reverse the critical mass that has already been reached with the present growth of the Latino community throughout this nation. Every 2.5 seconds, there is another Latino in the United States; this mostly through births from the children of first generation immigrants. We indeed are the future of this nation. Inclusive, practical and fair policies that embrace our growing communities will lay the groundwork for a prosperous America. Nothing short of this will suffice. This reality should be embraced by policy makers and elected officials across New York State because the growth mentioned above is dynamic especially here in our State. This publication, The Changing Face of the Empire State: Latinos, Portuguese and Brazilians in Upstate New York, clearly outlines the demographic changes impacting New York and briefly highlights some issues that need more government attention, especially if Upstate economies are to grow.
  • An America Built to Last: PRESIDENT OBAMA’S AGENDA and the HISPANIC COMMUNITY

    An America Built to Last: PRESIDENT OBAMA’S AGENDA and the HISPANIC COMMUNITY

    An America Built to Last: PRESIDENT OBAMA’S AGENDA AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY August 2012 President Obama believes we need to do more than recover from the recession. We need to restore security and opportunity for middle class Americans with the fundamental values that made our economy the strongest in the world – making sure everyone does their fair share and plays by the same rules, and hard work and responsibility are rewarded. During the State of the Union Address, the President laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values. The President stated clearly that, “we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.” He believes this is a make or break moment for the middle class and Latinos who are trying to reach it. What is at stake is the very survival of the basic American promise that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family, own a home, and put enough away for retirement. The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent; no debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while more Americans barely get by. Or we can build a nation where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules. At stake An America Built to Last: President Obama’s Hispanic Agenda Page 2 of 68 right now are not Democratic or Republican values, but American values – and for the sake of our future, we have to reclaim them.
  • 1 SYLLABUS SOC 3612: Sociology of Immigration Tues/Thurs, 12:00-1

    1 SYLLABUS SOC 3612: Sociology of Immigration Tues/Thurs, 12:00-1

    SYLLABUS SOC 3612: Sociology of Immigration Tues/Thurs, 12:00-1:50am, Meiklejohn Hall, Room 4083 Winter Quarter 2018 Professor: Dr. Duke Austin, PhD, AKA “Dr. Duke” Office: Meiklejohn Hall 3066 Office Hours: Tuesdays: 2:00-3:50pm, Thursdays: 4:00-4:50pm (beginning January 18), and by appointment Email: [email protected] Office Phone: 510-885-4127 (Call during office hours only.) Faculty Website: http://WWW.csueastbay.edu/directory/profiles/soc/austinduke.html COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS This course probes the dynamics of immigrant politics, eXamining questions of identity and loyalty among neWcomers. With a focus on MeXican and Asian immigration to the U.S., we explore the consequences of varying modes of migration and acculturation, look at patterns of settlement in America, discuss the problems of English-language acquisition and bilingual education, eXplain hoW immigrants incorporate themselves into the American economy, and eXamine the trajectories of immigrant children from adolescence to early adulthood. In addition, this course increases mastery of the folloWing Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) specific to the Sociology Program: • SLO1: Through the immigration ethnography assignment, this course helps students understand and analyze data, With the ability to critically eXamine the veracity of “knoWledge claims” by mastering an understanding, identification, and application of appropriate ethnographic methods of data collection and tools for ethnographic data analysis. • SLO 2: Through the daily reading journals, the ethnographic essay, and the final eXam, students Will demonstrate oral and Written abilities to effectively communicate and engage in educated, open-minded discussions of diverse sociocultural beliefs, perspectives, and norms. • SLO3: With its focus on immigration, this course helps students understand social diversity With the ability to read and understand academic studies on and critically analyze cultural representations of populations subordinated by race/ethnicity, social class, gender and sexuality.
  • Re-Launching Migration Systems

    Re-Launching Migration Systems

    NORFACE MIGRATION Discussion Paper No. 2013-11 Re-launching migration systems Oliver Bakewell www.norface-migration.org Abstract The concept of the migration system, first popularised in the 1970s, has remained a staple component of any review of migration theory. Since then, it has been cast somewhat adrift from its conceptual moorings; today in the literature migration systems are generally either conflated with migrant networks or elevated to the heights of macro-level abstraction which divorces them from any empirical basis. At the same time, by taking on board more sophisticated notions of agency, emergence, and social mechanisms, the broader concept of the social system has moved on from the rather discredited structural-functionalist marina where it was first launched. In recent years, having been rejected by many social theorists, the social system has been subject to major reconstruction prior to its re-launch as a respectable and valuable area of social enquiry. This paper argues that, for the most part, these developments in systems theory have been ignored by those applying the concept of systems to the analysis of migration. It addresses the question of how the concept of the migration system can be reformulated in the light of these theoretical advances and what implications this may have for our research and analysis. Non-technical summary In recent years debates about the idea of the ‘social system’ have been reinvigorated by accounts drawing on notions of agency, emergence, and social mechanisms. This paper argues that these developments in systems theory have largely been ignored by those applying the concept of systems to the analysis of migration.
  • Sociology of Racism

    Sociology of Racism

    Sociology of Racism Matthew Clair [email protected] Jeffrey S. Denis [email protected] Abstract The sociology of racism is the study of the relationship between racism, racial discrimination, and racial inequality. While past scholarship emphasized overtly racist attitudes and policies, contemporary sociology considers racism as individual- and group-level processes and structures that are implicated in the reproduction of racial inequality in diffuse and often subtle ways. Although some social scientists decry this conceptual broadening, most agree that a multivalent approach to the study of racism is at once socially important and analytically useful for understanding the persistence of racial inequality in a purportedly “post-racial” society. Keywords Bias; colonialism; discrimination; ethnicity; immigration; inequality; prejudice; psychology; race; racism; sociology; social psychology; stereotyping; stratification Body text At root, racism is “an ideology of racial domination” (Wilson, 1999, 14) in which the presumed biological or cultural superiority of one or more racial groups is used to justify or prescribe the inferior treatment or social position(s) of other racial groups. Through the process of racialization (see 3.3), perceived patterns of physical difference—such as skin color or eye shape—are used to differentiate groups of people, thereby constituting them as “races”; racialization becomes racism when it involves the hierarchical and socially consequential valuation of racial groups. Racism is analytically distinct from racial discrimination and racial inequality. Racial discrimination concerns the unequal treatment of races, while racial inequality concerns unequal outcomes (in income, education, health, etc.). While racism is often implicated in both processes, contemporary racial inequalities and forms of discrimination are not always the immediate result of contemporary racism (Pager and Shepherd, 2008).
  • Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings

    Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings

    Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings Jeffre INTRODUCTION tricks for success in doing African studies research3. One of the challenges of studying ethnic Several sections of the article touch on subject head- groups is the abundant and changing terminology as- ings related to African studies. sociated with these groups and their study. This arti- Sanford Berman authored at least two works cle explains the Library of Congress subject headings about Library of Congress subject headings for ethnic (LCSH) that relate to ethnic groups, ethnology, and groups. His contentious 1991 article Things are ethnic diversity and how they are used in libraries. A seldom what they seem: Finding multicultural materi- database that uses a controlled vocabulary, such as als in library catalogs4 describes what he viewed as LCSH, can be invaluable when doing research on LCSH shortcomings at that time that related to ethnic ethnic groups, because it can help searchers conduct groups and to other aspects of multiculturalism. searches that are precise and comprehensive. Interestingly, this article notes an inequity in the use Keyword searching is an ineffective way of of the term God in subject headings. When referring conducting ethnic studies research because so many to the Christian God, there was no qualification by individual ethnic groups are known by so many differ- religion after the term. but for other religions there ent names. Take the Mohawk lndians for example. was. For example the heading God-History of They are also known as the Canienga Indians, the doctrines is a heading for Christian works, and God Caughnawaga Indians, the Kaniakehaka Indians, (Judaism)-History of doctrines for works on Juda- the Mohaqu Indians, the Saint Regis Indians, and ism.
  • Introduction Minority Student Persistence in College Is a Key

    Introduction Minority Student Persistence in College Is a Key

    Introduction Minority student persistence in college is a key concern in higher education research. The most developed and commonly used conceptual framework to assess reasons for persistence in higher education is the model of integration developed by Ti nto (1975, 1993). The integration model examines the relationship between student characteristics, enrollment, involvement behaviors, and persistence and attainment. Student characteristics include demographic, family, and high school background character istics; involvement behaviors address how the student engages in academic, social, employment, or other kinds of activities within the institution. Persistence (also called retention) is defined as remaining enrolled in the institution, presumably until degree attainment or completion. In this framework, enrollment, attendance, institution type, and student behaviors that influence student involvement in the institution are also assumed to impact students’ feelings of membership and participation in insti tutional life. Thus, the level of participation influences students’ decisions to stay enrolled and attain a degree, to transfer to another institution, or to discontinue enrollment in postsecondary education. The two kinds of participation and involvemen t in college are described as academic and social integration. Academic integration includes indicators like faculty -student interactions, student involvement in research projects, and time spent on homework. Social integration includes indicators like p articipation in student groups, friendships, experiences in residence halls, and other peer group interactions. Tinto’s model, some have suggested, overly emphasizes individual rather than social factors, does not address minority students’ particular cultural backgrounds, and may implicitly blame students for their departure when, in fact, other social, cultural, and environmental factors may be influencing their lower participation (Braxton, 2000a; Laden, Milem, & Crowson, 2000; Rendon, Jalomo, & Nora, 2 000; Tanaka, 2002; Tierney, 1992).