The United States. It’s a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and identities. It’s the only country in the world with such a large amount of diverse individuals interacting with one another. Immigrants from all across the world try to find their way to the states in their hunt for the promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On paper, the United States is a country where people get to experience and learn about all different kinds of cultures while practicing and teaching others their own. In reality, however, this is not necessarily the case.
I am the daughter of an immigrant father who came from Pakistan in pursuit of the American Dream. I was fortunate enough to grow up eating ultra-flavorful and spicy, chicken, goat, lamb, or beef with rice dishes almost every night. I got to hear my father speak Urdu (one of the main languages spoken by Pakistanis), hear Muslim prayers from his phone, and witness what praying in his culture is like. Over the years I learned more and more about the Muslim religion. I learned how they only eat halal foods, do not eat pork, and can’t pray in front of a calendar that has animals on it. While all of these facts are still important to know, I have come to realize that they are very base level and I did not learn nearly enough information to help educate others and share my culture to its fullest extent. Now that I am older, I find myself frequently thinking about how I wish my father forced me to learn Urdu and more about the religion and culture. I know the culture will always be a part of who I am, but due to the lack of knowledge, it almost feels like a disconnect within my identity sometimes. I now have vowed to myself that I will learn more on my own, as I want to be able to proudly share and express the other side of my cultural identity.
Due to living in the United States my entire life, having an American mother, going to predominately white schools, and never being forced to learn Urdu or more about Pakistani culture, I can admit that I have almost fully assimilated into the American culture. It is not just me, however, as over the years I have seen both my father and older sister, who both felt very deeply about their culture and religion, start to disconnect or stray away from certain cultural values in favor of the “American way”. Cultural assimilation is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society’s majority group. In other worlds, they assimilate the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially while leaving parts of their original culture behind. But why is this a civic issue exactly?
Image of the idea of what cultural assimilation looks like (how people assimilate to the majority)
Civic issues are ones that involve community concerns and/or citizenship inclusion or exclusion, in which the problem negatively affect the citizens within said community. Cultural assimilation directly concerns one’s community arguably in a negative way. Those who view it as a negative say it can contribute to a loss of cultural identity and history, have psychological effects on immigrants, cause increase discrimination and violence, and damage to minorities self-esteem and confidence. On the other end, those who support cultural assimilation claim that it decreases conflict, contributes to a more cohesive society, and provides and improves social and economic opportunities for minority individuals.
In this blog I will continue to dive deeper into the different sides of cultural assimilation as a civic issue, while also analyzing data I find to help share more neutral factual information. I will also add more of my own insight as someone who has experienced first hand to see if what I believe matches up with reality. I will also extend on ways in which we could change/add policy to either help stop assimilation or let it be. Now I wonder, how do you feel about cultural assimilation?
It is so great that you got to learn and practice some of the traditions, practices, and beliefs from your father. I understand where you are coming from when you say that due to the lack of knowledge, it almost feels like a disconnect within your identity sometimes, but I loved that you made it your mission to learn more about the culture. I also think that it is important to learn about your roots and to be aware of how that can shape your life and beliefs. I am looking forward to reading more of your blog posts about the different sides of cultural assimilation as a civic issue.
hi really enjoy the topic of imigrants for your blog! i decided to do the same topic as well since i find it very interesting. i love to learn about the new information that came from your blog that i never heard before. this blog really opened my eyes to really search up new in formation and find other things to learn about!
I can really relate to your experience with cultural assimilation. I have a sister who has been in the United States for over 15 years, and I’ve noticed significant changes in her habits and identity, becoming more “Americanized.” It’s definitely not a bad thing to adapt to American culture, but after I arrived in the U.S. a year ago, I’ve observed a lot of differences between us, ranging from daily life to interests and hobbies, even though we were born and raised in the same place, Macao. Your blog topic resonates with me because I’m also struggling with the concept of cultural assimilation. I often find myself uncertain whether I should preserve my original thoughts and hobbies from Macao or be more open to adopting “American” ways. I appreciate that you’re planning to explore this topic more deeply, as it’s an issue that many immigrants and children of immigrants face. It’s a complex balance to maintain one’s cultural roots while also integrating into a new society. I look forward to reading more of your insights.