Second‐generation decline: Scenarios for the economic and ethnic futures of the post‐1965 American immigrants

Is assimilation theory dead? The effect of assimilation on adolescent well-being

“…In terms of group composition, some scholars emphasize that the new immigrants are primarily from Asia and Latin America and therefore nonwhite, and their minority status may hinder their full integration into the white middle class (e.g., Gans 1992;Rumbaut 1996, 2001;Portes and Zhou 1993). In addition, many scholars (e.g., Alba and Nee 2003;Bean and Stevens 2003;Zhou 1997b) have noted that contemporary immigrants come from a much wider variety of socioeconomic backgrounds than those in the previous wave, suggesting that different groups will start out on different "rungs" of the American class system.…”

“…Several scholars have argued that the assimilation and upward mobility of the 1890-1920 wave of immigrants were facilitated by the manufacturing-based economic expansion of that period, but that the current service-based postindustrial economy is less favorable for the incorporation of new workers (Fernandez-Kelly and Schauffler 1994;Gans 1992;Massey 1995;Portes and Zhou 1993;Suarez-Orozco and Suarez-Orozco 2001;Zhou 1997a). Gans (1992) outlines several distinct trajectories that the new immigrants may follow, including downward as well as upward mobility among the possible outcomes. Further developing these ideas, Portes and Zhou (1993) propose the theory of "segmented assimilation."…”

“…Some scholars have argued that classical assimilation theory is no longer applicable for current Asian and Latin American immigrants, suggesting that their experiences are not adequately represented by theories of assimilation derived from the experiences of earlier waves of European immigrants. Gans (1992) and others have suggested that assimilation today may be associated with worsening outcomes for some immigrant children. Indeed, several studies have found negative effects of assimilation (particularly acculturation) on certain outcomes for immigrant adolescents.…”

“…On the one hand, researchers have noted that immigrant children's greater likelihood of experiencing poverty and the tendency for immigrant families to be clustered in poor, inner-city neighborhoods may put immigrant children at risk for numerous deleterious outcomes (Hernandez 2003;Portes, Fernandez-Kelly, and Haller 2005;Rumbaut 2005). For example, they may be at risk for participating in gangs (Portes and Rumbaut 2001;Zhou and Bankston 1998), engaging in the drug trade or other illegal activities (Gans 1992;Martinez et al 2004;Portes et al 2005;Rumbaut 2005), dropping out of school (Hirschman 2001;Landale et al 1998). On the other hand, researchers have suggested that the high motivation levels and achievement-related cultural values of many immigrant groups may spur immigrant children to greater educational accomplishments than their native counterparts.…”

Paradigm shifters, professionals, and community sentinels: Immigrant community institutions’ roles in shaping places and implications for stigmatized public health initiatives

“…These challenges are inevitable because of both internal and external changes (Kibria, 1993;Gans, 1992;Ablemann and Lie, 1995;Basch, 1994;Kwong, 1987;Kasinitz, 1992;Portes and Stepick, 1993). For example, children of immigrants who have greater social and economic options may move more freely outside of their ethnic "places" and bring new ideas back in.…”