Reinventing The Melting Pot

Nothing happening in America today will do more to affect our children's future than the wave of new immigrants flooding into the country, mostly from the developing world. Already, one in ten Americans is foreign-born, and if one counts their children, one-fifth of the population can be considered immigrants. Will these newcomers make it in the U.S? Or will today's realities -- from identity politics to cheap and easy international air travel -- mean that the age-old American tradition of absorption and assimilation no longer applies? Reinventing the Melting Pot is a conversation among two dozen of the thinkers who have looked longest and hardest at the issue of how immigrants assimilate: scholars, journalists, and fiction writers, on both the left and the right. The contributors consider virtually every aspect of the issue and conclude that, of course, assimilation can and must work again -- but for that to happen, we must find new ways to think and talk about it. Contributors to Reinventing the Melting Pot include Michael Barone, Stanley Crouch, Herbert Gans, Nathan Glazer, Michael Lind, Orlando Patterson, Gregory Rodriguez, and Stephan Thernstrom.

The catalyst for much of classical pragmatist political thought was the great waves of migration to the United States in the early twentieth century. José-Antonio Orosco examines the work of several pragmatist social thinkers, including John Dewey, W. E. B. Du Bois, Josiah Royce, and Jane Addams, regarding the challenges large-scale immigration brings to American democracy. Orosco argues that the ideas of the classical pragmatists can help us understand the ways in which immigrants might strengthen the cultural foundations of the United States in order to achieve a more deliberative and participatory democracy. Like earlier pragmatists, Orosco begins with a critique of the melting pot in favor of finding new ways to imagine the civic role of our immigrant population. He concludes that by applying the insights of American pragmatism, we can find guidance through controversial contemporary issues such as undocumented immigration, multicultural education, and racialized conceptions of citizenship.

Among the most tumultuous conflicts of modern America is the war over legal and undocumented immigrants currently residing within U.S. borders. Since the passing of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act, America has witnessed an unprecedented flow of immigrants onto its shores, with increased diversity of race and culture. Battleground: Immigration examines the most critical issues surrounding immigration today, including effects on the economy, education, and employment, as well as the viability of the foreign-born in American society. All sides of the immigration debate are explored in this comprehensive 2-volume set, with special weight given to the very specific issues that have arisen in post-9/11 America: homeland security and border control, 9/11's impact on legislation and civil liberties; the Department of Homeland security and its role in border control; transnational organized crime, human smuggling and trafficking; and post 9/11 border control and security impact on immigration. With direct ties to the curriculum, this set is a valuable resource for students of sociology, current events, American history, political science, ethnic studies, and public policy.

Despite growing cultural and economic homogenization across the globe, the visible presence of immigrant communities stands out in many metropolises of the world. In almost all major cities the cultural and physical presence of various ethnic or religious groups is very much in evidence. Yet, until now, the academic treatment of international migration has mostly been confined to limited case studies, single ethnic groups, or single locations. Crossing Over offers an alternative to this method, bringing together a diverse group of academics charged with submitting new research that juxtaposes experiences and draws on comparisons between aspects of migration in Europe and the United States. The essays focus on two main issues: security issues--heightened by recent terrorist activities--and the question of citizenship, identity, and host-guest interaction. The result is a collection of accessible research essays that shed light on both the parallels and differences that exist for immigrant groups across continents and cultures.

Immigrants Outside Megalopolis documents the shift of immigrants toward smaller towns and metropolitan areas in the United States, presenting eleven case studies of immigrant groups in widely differing parts of the country. These case studies highlight both the new cultural landscapes that are giving Americans a world geography lesson, and the tales of accommodation and acceptance, of rejection and discrimination, that suggest that the process of social adjustment is not yet complete.

Building on the success and maintaining the 99 Jumpstarts format of the two previous books, 99 Jumpstarts for Kids' Social Studies Reports is divided into broad topical sections. Each topic is arranged in alphabetical order under its section. Topics are all new to this title and include the Ancient World, Historic World Events, State and Local History, US History, Government and Citizenship, Sociology, Culture and Economics. The book includes the following sections in each Jumpstart: A cited quote about the topic, Related Jumpstarts, New Words, You are There, Topics to Consider, Books, Internet, For the Teacher, and a relevant activity. Each Jumpstart provides a helpful pathfinder that enables students to efficiently access information and learn new information literacy skills as they research topics of personal interest or gather information for school reports. Grades 3-8.

A Companion to American Immigration is an authoritative collection of original essays by leading scholars on the major topics and themes underlying American immigration history. Focuses on the two most important periods in American Immigration history: the Industrial Revolution (1820-1930) and the Globalizing Era (Cold War to the present) Provides an in-depth treatment of central themes, including economic circumstances, acculturation, social mobility, and assimilation Includes an introductory essay by the volume editor.

Every wave of immigrants entering the United States has faced prejudice. As each group gradually assimilates into the dominant culture, it becomes easy to forget the anger that was previously directed at them. People always believe that the next group of immigrants poses a more severe threat than the ones that came before them, but readers discover that these fears often prove to be unfounded. Detailed infographics and full-color photographs supplement the informative text’s analysis of the history of immigration, its economic implications, and what immigration policies should be implemented in the future.