Civic assimilation
Civic assimilation is the final stage in the assimilation process as defined by sociologist Milton M. Gordon, who identified seven distinct stages that immigrants undergo in adapting to a new society. This stage specifically pertains to the absence of conflict over values and power in civic life between the host society and the assimilating group. Achieving civic assimilation involves navigating various cultural, social, and religious factors beyond mere race and ethnicity. For instance, individuals from different social classes may experience varying degrees of assimilation; while some middle-class ethnic and racial minorities may adopt core cultural values, lower-class groups often face barriers such as segregation and economic hardship that hinder their full integration. Additionally, public policies surrounding education and welfare can reflect opposing views influenced by race and social class, further complicating the path to civic assimilation. Religion also plays a significant role, as differing values can lead to public conflict on issues such as abortion. Understanding these complexities is essential for grasping the nuances of civic assimilation and its implications for social cohesion and integration in diverse societies.
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Civic assimilation
Civic assimilation is the seventh and final stage of the assimilation process outlined by sociologist Milton M. Gordon (1918-2019) in his influential book Assimilation in American Life: The Role of Race, Religion, and National Origins (1964). Gordon's framework attempts to categorize the seven stages of assimilation individuals experience after immigrating to a new country, including cultural, structural, marital, identificational, attitude-receptional, behavioral-receptional, and civic assimilation. The term civic assimilation refers to the absence of value and power conflict concerning public or civic life between the members of the host society and the assimilating group. Because this condition is related to groups’ cultural values and norms, not only race and ethnicity but also religion and social class are important factors in achieving civic assimilation. Although both ethnic and racial minority groups in the American middle class have adopted the values of the core culture to a certain extent, those in the lower class are still at a considerable distance from the American cultural norms because of segregation, unemployment, and poverty in both rural and urban areas. Public policies regarding education and welfare systems are largely divided into two groups that represent opposing views. This division, because of race and social class, hinders American society from achieving civic assimilation of minority groups. Religion is another significant factor that generates value and power conflict among people. For example, there is an association between pro-life opinion and Catholic values regarding the abortion debate in the American political arena.
Bibliography
Barkan, Elliott Robert. Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. ABC-CLIO, 2013.
Fitzgerald, Kathleen J. Recognizing Race and Ethnicity: Power, Privilege, and Inequality. 3rd ed., Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2020.
Gordon, Milton M. Assimilation in American Life: The Role of Race, Religion, and National Origins. Oxford UP, 1964.
Gordon, Milton M. Human Nature, Class, and Ethnicity. Oxford UP, 1978.
Healey, Joseph F., and Eileen O'Brien. Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. 9th ed., Sage, 2023.
Shaw-Taylor, Yoku, and Lorraine McCall. Immigration, Assimilation, and Border Security. 2nd ed., Bernan Press, 2020.