The American Ethnic Cultural Mosaic What Will Become

The American Ethnic Cultural Mosaic What Will Become of Us?

Hopi Reggae: Casper Lomayesva Our Hopi reservation no stretch far and wide It gives us sense of purpose, me say sense of pride Religion and our culture help keep us strong I’m proud of these people, that’s why me sing this song

This reflects • Oft-repeated process of cultural integration and modification • Constantly changing subcultures and dominant culture • Other examples – Chicken Scratch (Tohono O’odham) – New Age Music (American Indian flute themes)

Alternative theoretical perspectives for understanding cultural change • Acculturation (Milton Gordon): can be cultural blending, but generally seen as the adoption of dominant culture • Examples – Monogamy – Language

Multiculturalism (John Higham) • Minority cultures contribute to the common American culture, and are in turn modified and transformed by it. • “we are all multicultural and increasingly transnational” interconnected and interpenetrative

Transculturation (Fernando Ortiz) • Based on his observations of Cuban culture with its European, African, and indigenous influences • Peter Salins: African, Hispanic, Jewish, Italian, Asian influences deeply embedded in the national cultural mix • Blues, jazz, and Latin music all reflect transculturation • Thanksgiving feast (indigenous turkey and pumpkin supplemented with cinnamon and nutmeg from Asia

Religion • Viewed as a predominantly Christian country • However, in one square mile area of Queens, – 40 houses of worship – Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian – Korean, Chinese, Thai congregations

Christianity • 1998: 160 M in 164 denominations – – Roman Catholic: 61 million Southern Baptist: 16 million (predominantly white) United Methodist: 8. 5 million 4 of 10 largest denominations are African American (National Baptist Convention, USA; National Baptist Convention of America, Church of God in Christ, African Methodist Episcopal Church)

Ethnicity and Religion • Roman Catholic and Methodist Churches often organize around ethic groups • Los Angeles: ethnic versions of Buddhism – Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan

Constitutional Basis of Religious Diversity • Article VI: “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust” • First Amendment, establishment and free exercise provisions: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment or religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”

Linguistic Diversity • Queens, again: neighborhood where people come from 49 countries and speak 34 different languages. • No official language • Constitutional basis: equal protection clause of the 14 th Amendment – since some of our citizens speak English poorly or not at all, English-only laws deny them equal protection

The English Only Movement • Over 25 states have English only laws • Constitutionality in question

Conclusions: Four Processes 1. Acculturation (monogamy, language) 2. Multiculturalism (multicultural pluralist society) 3. Transculturation 4. Globalization