Ethnic Groups and Minorities in the USA

1.  Read and translate the text.

   The United States is a country of many ethnic groups made up of people who share one or more characteristics which differ them from other groups. They may share specific racial or physical traits, speak their own language or practice a distinctive religion. They are usually bound to one another by common traditions and values, and by their own folklore and music. Some of their activities may be determined by unique institutions, such as a complex family structure or the social practices within their communities.

    The Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups lists 106 major groups in the United States today, including Native Americans, Albanians, Afro-Americans, Arabs, Burmese, Chinese, Eskimos, Filipinos, Greeks, Irish, Italians, Jews, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Swiss. In fact, there are really more. For example, there are more than 170 Native American tribes. For the sake of simplicity, the Encyclopedia treats them as one. In the same way, Syrians, Jordanians, Egyptians and Palestinians are all counted as Arabs.

  Most members of ethnic groups long established in the States have lost much of the distinctiveness of their culture. Third generation of Germans, for example, may only speak English and think of themselves as “plain” Americans. Third generation Chinese, however, often retain their language and many cultural and family traditions. They usually define themselves as Chinese-Americans. Members of most ethnic groups are full participants in the broad tapestry of American life, even if they keep alive many of their old traditions. The Irish, the Danes, the Germans, the Italians, the Jews, the Mormons and the Catholics, for example, have moved into almost all social, economic and political sectors.

Some ethnic groups, however, suffer disadvantages which continue to keep them from freely participating in some areas of American professional and cultural life. Poverty and all the deprivation that goes with it often make it more difficult for Afro-Americans and Puerto-Ricans to acquire the social and educational skills needed to enter more desirable and more highly paid occupations. Racial prejudice and discrimination against people with different colour skin has often meant that many members of these groups have been forced to live and work in narrow sectors of American life. Recent Hispanic immigrants, such as Mexicans and Puerto-Ricans, also have encountered discrimination based on their ethnicity.

  Those ethnic groups which suffer systematic economic and social disadvantages are called minority groups. About one of every five Americans is a member of such a group. In the past, many minority groups overcame the barriers that confronted them. The Irish, the Germans, the Catholics, and the Jews all faced hostility and discrimination which severely restricted their opportunities for decades. Over time they largely overcame those barriers and became fully integrated into national life. There are many signs today that other minorities are following the same path. This is also encouraged with the help of an official policy of political correctness.

   New waves of immigrants have recently begun to arrive from Korea, the Philippines, Haiti, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. These groups, following the pattern set by earlier waves of immigrants from China and Japan, are establishing themselves in small businesses, working tirelessly, and investing all of their efforts and money to ensure that their children receive the education and learn the skills necessary to build and prosperous and satisfying life.

2. Answer the questions.

1) What do people belonging to an ethnic group share?

2) What sort of disadvantages do some ethnic groups suffer today?

3) What groups are called minority groups?

4) What barriers keep some ethnic people from realizing the opportunities in life?

5) Where do some new waves of immigration come from and what are their plans?

3. Give English equivalents for:

Исповедовать религию, отличную от других; быть связанными общими традициями и ценностями; коренные жители Америки (индейцы); рассматривать как единое целое; утратить многое из своих культурных особенностей; обычные Американцы; широкий спектр американской жизни; бедность и сопутствующие ей лишения; испаноязычные иммигранты; постоянно испытывать трудности экономического и социального характера; сталкиваться с враждебностью; ограничивать чьи-либо возможности; следовать образцу.

 

4. Give Russian equivalents for:

To share specific racial or physical traits; to be determined by unique institutions; for the sake of simplicity; to retain language and traditions; full participants in the broad tapestry of American life; to acquire the social and educational skills; to enter highly paid occupations; to be forced to live and work in narrow sectors of American life; to encounter discrimination based on ethnicity; to overcome barriers that confronted them; to become fully integrated into national life; to follow the same path; to establish themselves in small businesses; to build a prosperous and satisfying life.

Discussion

· What do you know about ‘political correctness’? In groups do the brainstorming work and write all the associations that come into your mind when you hear the collocation ‘political correctness’ and organize the vocabulary into a mind map.

· Are there different ethnic groups in Russia? Where do they come from? Where do they live? How do they differ from the majority of people in your country with respect to customs, religion, clothing, food, music, etc.?

 

5. Read and translate the text.

Nation of Immigrants

     The United States is a country of immigrants. Since its early days, the country has admitted more than 50 million newcomers, a larger number of immigrants than any country in history. Most people came, and still come today, for wealth, land, and freedom.

      In the past, the majority of Americans considered themselves WASPs – white Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Many immigrants tried to preserve the traditions, religion, and language of their particular culture, but if they did not want to feel separate from the dominant WASP culture, they learned English and adopted English customs.

      Today America is again faced with an assimilation problem. The majority of the newest immigrants come from Mexico, Latin America, or Asia. Among these newcomers, the Asians seem most willing to assimilate. They encourage their children to speak accentless English and play American games. Mexican-Americans, now comprising about one-fifth of California’s total population, are not so easily assimilated. They generally have a strong sense of their own culture and often marry among themselves.

       Since the 1060s, with changes in the ethnic composition, American’s attitudes towards ethnic and religious differences have altered. Pressure on immigrants to Americanize and altogether forget their background has relaxed. High political offices are held by non-whites and non-Protestants. Americans are aware that the national ethnic, religious identity – WASP – which once unified the country under certain shared values, has disappeared. In a country where currently 6 per cent of the population is foreign-born, where more than 10 per cent speaks a language other than English at home, diversity is a major characteristic. The well-known picture of America as a melting pot where all groups come together, creating a new, distinct American type, is not an adequate metaphor. On the whole, a more accurate picture of American society today, one that conveys its astonishing variety of cultures, each preserving its own distinctiveness, is vegetable soup.

      Americans continue to debate the issue of immigration. Many Americans fear that immigrants may lower the quality of life in America by taking away American’s jobs and by importing the same social and economic ills that exist in the countries they left. Furthermore, they argue that tightening restrictions is a necessary measure to preserve America’s national identity. On the other hand, many Americans more optimistically emphasize the cultural wealth and diversity which immigrants have been bringing to the nation since its conception.

6. Put 10 questions on the text and ask them the class.

7. Write a 100-word summary of the text.

Discussion

· Work In groups.

· Study the case and do the task that follows.

Case study A NEWSWEEK POLL ON IMMIGRATION

The Gallup Organization interviewed 751 adults by telephone. ‘Don’t knows” not shown.

1 Do you think the number of immigrants now entering the US from each of the following areas is too many, too few or about right?

 

	Too Many	Too Few	About Right
European countries	26%	11%	50%
Latin America	53%	5%	30%
African countries	31%	12%	37%
Asian countries	49%	6%	33%

2 Do you feel that English only should be used in all public schools, public signs, government forms and official messages in the United States. Or do you support thr use of a second language in some areas to help immigrants participate in education, business, public affairs and daily life?

English only 47%                                         Second language 49%

3 Some people say the government should make it much more difficult for illegal aliens to get work in the US by penalizing companies that knowingly hire them. Others oppose such a penalty because it would restrict US businesses too much and limit opportunities for legal immigrants – especially Hispanics. Which view comes close to your own?

Penalize companies 61%                            Oppose penalties 28%

4 Some people propose that the federal government issue identity cards to all citizens and legal immigrants to distinguish them from those who are in the country illegally. Others oppose this plan on the grounds that it would give the federal government too much knowledge and control over all Americans. Which view comes closest to your own?

Issue ID Card 42%                                         Oppose ID Card 52%

5 Some people say there are too many illegal immigrants living in this country for the authorities to arrest and deport them. They feel we should have an amnesty to let most of aliens to live here legally. Others say the government should do everything it can to arrest those living in this country illegally. Which comes closer to your view?

Amnesty for Those Here 34%                     Arrest and Deport 55%

6 Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	Agree	Disagree
Immigrants take jobs from US workers	61%	36%
Many immigrants work hard – often taking jobs that Americans don’t want	80%	17%
Many immigrants wind up on welfare and raise taxes for Americans	59%	33%
Immigrants help improve our culture with their different cultures and talents	61%	35%

· Determine whether the statements are true or false and correct the false ones with reference to the information given in the Newsweek poll.

1. About half the Americans surveyed believe that too many Asians immigrate into the US.

2. Most Americans believe that the fastest way of being integrated into American life is speaking only English.

3. A vast majority of Americans believe that firms which hire illegal aliens should be penalized.

4. Most Americans feel that the government would have too much control over them if identity cards were introduced.

5. Most Americans would not like to see illegal immigrants return to their countries.

6. There is almost unanimous agreement that illegal immigrants are hard-working people.

7. About a third of all Americans agree that many immigrants are a social and economic burden for society.

8. The notion that the culture of immigrants enriches the American culture is not shared by most people surveyed.

Writing

· Find and analyze the data on Russians’ attitude to immigrants.

Unit 3                         

Multicultural Britain

1. Read and translate the text.

    Many states in the world today are characterized by multiethnic populations. Some states are ethnically diverse as a result of long histories of changing borders, occupations by foreign powers and regional migration. Other societies have become multiethnic more rapidly, as a result of deliberate policies encouraging migration, by way of colonial and imperial legacies.

   Immediately after the Second World War, Britain looked like a prosperous and friendly country for an immigrant worker. All Commonwealth citizens were free to enter the country and look for work, which was plentiful. The influx of immigrants was aided by the adoption of the 1948 British Nationality Act, which granted favourable immigration rights to citizens of Commonwealth countries. However, since the Immigration Act of 1962, successive governments have introduced regulations to restrict the number of immigrants.

    It is difficult to get statistics on race, but the following patterns are clear. The percentage of non-whites in Britain increased quite rapidly between 1945 and the end of the 1970s and the 2001 Census will show that it had reached 10 per cent by then. In addition, the number of people seeking political asylum reached 70,000 a year in 2001.

     By now, most members of ethnic minority groups were born in the UK. This can be seen clearly by looking at the age structure of ethnic minority populations. Within the British Indian population, for example, more than 96 per cent of those aged 16 and under were born in Britain, while only 1 per cent of those aged 35 or more were born here. This marks an important shift from an ‘immigration population’ to a non-white British population with full citizenship rights.

     Ethnic minorities are concentrated in the cities. They do not live in the inner city by choice; they moved there because such areas were least favoured by the white population and empty properties became available as whites moved out.

    Black and Asian people in Britain are disadvantaged as a whole in comparison with the white population. The percentage of members of ethnic minorities who are unemployed, or in low-grade jobs, is higher than in the population as a whole. However, certain ethnic groups find greater occupational success than others. For example, African Asian men are as likely as their white counterparts to work as professionals, managers or employers, while Chinese women are twice as likely as white women to do so.

    However, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are still faced with prejudice and racism in areas such as employment, income, housing and crime.

    Racial discrimination and poor living conditions have contributed to racial violence, especially in the day-to-day form of relations between young blacks and the police, or in the more extreme form of inner-city riots. This is despite the Race Relations Act (1976), which was designed to promote equality of opportunity for people of all races.

 

2. Answer the questions.

 

1) What proportion of the British population is non-white, and where do their families come from?

2) Where do most non-whites live in Britain?

3) Is the percentage of members of ethnic minorities who are unemployed, or in low-grade jobs, the same as in the population as a whole?

4) What contributes to racial violence?

5) What was the Race Relations Act designed for?

3. Combine the following words into sentences:

a. Multiethnic, today, states, world, by, are, in, characterized, populations, many, the.

b. But, difficult, to, it, the, get, race, patterns, clear, statistics, on, are, is, following.

c. Of, groups, the, now, members, in, ethnic, born, by, UK, most, minority, were.

d. And, people, population, Britain, Asian, as, comparison, a, with, black, are, in,, disadvantaged, in, whole, the, white.

e. Certain, however, groups, greater, success, ethnic, others, occupational, than, find.

f. Ethnic, however, from, minority, are, still, individuals, with, prejudice, and, in, such, employment, as, income, crime, housing, and, faced, areas, racism, backgrounds.

4. Rearrange the following sentences so that they logically summarize the text.

a) All Commonwealth citizens were free to enter the country and look for work, which was plentiful.

b) Black and Asian people in Britain are disadvantaged as a whole in comparison with the white population.

c) Many states in the world today are characterized by multiethnic populations.

d) This marks an important shift from an ‘immigration population’ to a non-white British population with full citizenship rights.

e) However, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are still faced with prejudice and racism in areas such as employment, income, housing and crime, which contributes to racial violence.

f) By now, most members of ethnic minority groups were born in the UK.

g) Some states are ethnically diverse as a result of long histories of changing borders, other societies have become multiethnic more rapidly, as a result of deliberate policies encouraging migration.

h) Immediately after the Second World War Britain looked like a prosperous and friendly country for an immigrant worker.

5. Learn and reproduce the summary from Exercise 4.

6. Read and translate the text.

A mixed population

  During the last thirty years Britain has undergone a sometimes painful education about people, race, colour, prejudice and different cultural values. The experience of living in a multi-racial society has undoubtedly changed people’s attitudes. Racial prejudice still exists and occasionally flares into violence, but somehow we have become a society of mixed races.

   If you discuss the need for national groups to preserve their identity by protecting themselves against immigrants you will find most of your British friends bewildered by what they will interpret as ‘racism’. However, the desire to preserve operates in both directions. We are already asking how far the immigrant groups should try to assimilate and how far they should try to preserve their own traditions. The first language of the Asian population is not English. Should the first priority be to teach them good English, or to help them protect their native languages? How far should English schools adapt to the immigrants and their children and how far should the children be expected to take for granted a white British way of life? Here is a Muslim boy from Bradford reflecting on the problem.

   “To be a strict Muslim in Britain can at times be awkward but by no means impossible. But to be a strict Muslim and at the same time accepted by society is not so easy. Integration of any minority can be difficult, but the recent Gulf conflict has not made things easy for Muslims in Britain…The west at the moment needs an enemy, as the old favourites such as communism have gone… Of course it’s very easy to blame the West, but do the Muslim communities want integration? Unfortunately my experience suggests that some communities do not. They are quite happy to live their lives doing business with fellow Muslims. This negative attitude is just as dangerous as any racism, for in itself it’s a form of racism.

It’s important wherever integration does occur that the culture and way of life does not change much. Politically, I’m British, but my religion, culture and way of life, although influenced by the British way of life comes from my Muslim background. I have friends of various backgrounds, and continue with life normally (at least, what I perceive as normal). But friends of mine who were brought up in a Muslim community all their life have friends only of Muslim background and have in no way experienced other cultures. If this continues, integration will never come about.

The only way to reduce racism is to increase awareness, to educate people. Simple as it sounds, we’re failing…”

  This boy has no doubt that integration is desirable, but that it must be done without cutting people off from what is familiar to them. Variety of experience is the best way of education. Since variety includes strangeness it is regarded with suspicion by people on all sides. But fortunately many more, white and black, are learning to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life. They are trying the balancing trick of preserving both difference and harmony. As you walk about the streets and talk to people, you will be able to judge how well they have succeeded.

 

                                       (from Understanding Britain by Karen Hewitt)

7. Give Russian equivalents for:

To preserve one’s identity; the first priority; to protect one’s native language; to adapt to the immigrants; to take for granted a white British way of life; to be accepted by society;to want integration; integration does occur; to be brought up in a Muslim community; to havefriends of various backgrounds; to reduce racism; to increase awareness; to educate people; to cut people off from what is familiar to them; to be regarded with suspicion;to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life; to preserve both difference and harmony.

8. Give English equivalents for:

Пройти болезненный путь знакомства с различными культурными ценностями; изменить отношение людей; разгореться во вспышки насилия; защитить себя от иммигрантов; привести в недоумение; действовать в обоих направлениях; сохранить традиции; научить хорошо говорить по-английски; размышлять над проблемой; затруднительно; обвинять Западные страны; отрицательное отношение; воспринимать; не иметь опыта общения с представителями других культур; интеграции не произойдет; уменьшить проявления расизма; восприниматься всеми сторонами; сохранить равновесие; судить; преуспеть.

Discussion

Work in groups

· The first language of the immigrants from former Soviet republics is not Russian.Should the first priority be to teach them good Russian?

· How far should Russian schools adapt to the immigrants and their children?

· How far should the immigrants be expected to take for granted a Russian way of life?

· Some countries have decided to ban the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women in public places, including schools. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

· Should all citizens of national republics in Russia speak titular language?

· Discuss some ways and means for any new ethnic group to become fully integrated into national life.

Unit 4