Constructivist theories of political incorporation

Abstract

Drawing upon ethnographic data collected in Glendale, California, this study applies constructivist theories of ethnic politics to political incorporation research. The analysis demonstrates how the evolving loci of political incorporation-from marginalized racial minorities in urban centers to multi-ethnic migrants in prosperous suburbs-have given rise to new agents (ethnopolitical entrepreneurs) in new spaces (ethnoburbs). In these evolving spaces, community leaders emphasize, consciously and unconsciously, specific attributes, which determine, in part, whether co-ethnics support selected candidates. Specific emphases lead to both the nomination of prospective politicians as well as the political incorporation of newcomers. By applying constructivist theories of ethnic politics to the study of political incorporation, this article expands and refines discourses in both fields of study. Based upon a case study of the intra-ethnically diverse yet highly mobilized Armenian community in Glendale, California, the paper's findings synthesize the strengths of both analytical perspectives.

Perceptual Disconnect: An Ethnographic Account of Immigrant Political Incorporation

“…Subsequent scholarship has updated the important research of Hochschild et al. by introducing novel agents who rely on newcomer incorporation and therefore incorporate immigrants politically far sooner than the scholarship assumed possible (Fittante, ).…”

“…In addition, Los Angeles Armenians naturalize at a rate (approximately 80%) twice the national average among immigrants (approximately 40%). In the last 20 years, Armenian political entrepreneurs have relied upon these facts to run successful campaigns and currently hold over 70 percent of elected positions (Fittante, ). However, Armenians’ demographic representation in elected office is far larger than its workforce demographics.…”

“…Whether directly or indirectly affected, a staggering majority of those interviewed claimed that their lives were unaffected by Glendale's majority co‐ethnic municipal representation. The community's political incorporation, which did not begin to take shape until the late 1990s (Fittante, ), is still a novel phenomenon. In addition, Armenians live scattered throughout Los Angeles in several locations, where the same reallocations of public goods have not been afforded.…”

“…In these dynamic, suburban spaces – sometimes referred to as “ethnoburbs” (Zhou et al., ; Li, ; Oh and Chung, ; Fittante, ) – co‐ ethnic political entrepreneurs run campaigns that target immigrants. These campaigns speak to the community's needs (in the community's native language) and attempt to demonstrate the benefits of voting co‐ethnics into city councils, city school boards and mayoral offices (Fittante, ). Thereby, the successful campaigns of many of these entrepreneurs invert social scientific assumptions about when political incorporation takes place (Hochschild et al, ).…”

“…This article seeks to contribute to the existing scholarship by analysing how immigrants experience and perceive the benefits of their own political incorporation. It explores the everyday realities of immigrants through a qualitative analysis of the fascinating yet understudied Armenian community of Glendale, California (Fittante, , , ).…”