Progressive inclusion theory of assimilation
The Progressive Inclusion Theory of Assimilation explores how minority groups engage with and integrate into a dominant society, presenting a nuanced perspective on the assimilation process. Unlike the traditional melting pot theory, which suggests that minority identities dissolve as they adopt the dominant culture, this theory posits that assimilation can occur alongside the preservation of ethnic identities. Prominent sociologists like Milton Gordon and Talcott Parsons argue that ethnic and racial minorities can achieve full citizenship rights while retaining elements of their cultural heritage. Gordon outlines a seven-stage model of assimilation, which includes stages such as acculturation and structural assimilation, indicating that cultural integration does not necessitate the abandonment of unique identities. Parsons emphasizes that a pluralistic society can foster a collective national identity, allowing ethnic differences to coexist within a framework of shared citizenship. This theory suggests that assimilation is an evolving process that can accommodate diversity, reflecting the complexities of modern social dynamics.
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Progressive inclusion theory of assimilation
The progressive inclusion theory of assimilation is a theory of the way minority groups interact with and become part of a dominant society. This process is called assimilation and involves the incorporation of different ethnic groups into the fabric of the larger society. One version of assimilation, known popularly as the melting pot theory, entails the loss of an individual’s ethnic identity in the process of assuming the identity of a member of the dominant society. In this case, the idea of a “hyphenated person” (such as an Irish-American) is impossible, because assimilation and pluralism (the notion that ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity can continue to exist in an ideal society) are seen as mutually exclusive.
An alternative view of assimilation has been articulated by sociologists Milton Gordon and Talcott Parsons, who believe that the progressive inclusion of ethnic and racial minorities can occur—that, over time, members of these groups can attain full rights of citizenship not only legally but in fact and daily experience as well—while simultaneously vestiges of ethnic identity can persist over time. In other words, these sociologists contend, assimilation and pluralism are not necessarily antithetical. Gordon, for example, contends that cultural assimilation can occur without structural assimilation, which means that while individuals belonging to ethnic or racial minorities adopt the values and behavioral patterns of the dominant society, they do not necessarily abandon their own institutions and neighborhoods. In Gordon’s best-known work on assimilation, he proposed seven stages of assimilation, outlining the progressive nature of this phenomenon. These steps include acculturation, structural assimilation, marital assimilation, identification assimilation, attitude reception assimilation, behavior reception assimilation, and civic assimilation.
For Parsons, the pluralistic character of modern societies is not a problem for assimilation. Citizenship becomes the key criterion for national solidarity, and thus ethnic differences can be accommodated by this larger, more encompassing sense of collective identity. Parsons viewed this as an evolutionary process characteristic of modern societies in general, which he outlined in several of his books, including Social Science: A Basic National Resource (1986), On National Socialism (1993), and American Society: Toward a Theory of Societal Community (2007).
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