Alejandro Portes

Rubén G. Rumbaut

This revised, updated, and expanded fourth edition of Immigrant America: A Portrait provides readers with a comprehensive and current overview of immigration to the United States in a single volume. Updated with the latest available data, Immigrant America explores the economic, political, spatial, and linguistic aspects of immigration; the role of religion in the acculturation and social integration of foreign minorities; and the adaptation process for the second generation. This revised edition includes new chapters on theories of migration and on the history of U.S.-bound migration from the late nineteenth century to the present, offering an updated and expanded concluding chapter on immigration and public policy.

A Portrait

Immigrant America

Patricia Fernández-Kelly

Whereas most of the literature on migration focuses on individuals and their families, this book studies the organizations created by immigrants to protect themselves in their receiving states. Comparing eighteen of these grassroots organizations formed across the world, from India to Colombia to Vietnam to the Congo, researchers from the United States, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain focus their studies on the internal structure and activities of these organizations as they relate to developmental initiatives. The book outlines the principal positions in the migration and development debate and discusses the concept of transnationalism as a means of resolving these controversies.

Immigrant Transnational Organizations in Four Continents

The State and the Grassroots

Ariel C. Armony

Over the last quarter century, no other city like Miami has rapidly transformed into a global city. The Global Edge charts the social tensions and unexpected consequences of this remarkable process of change. Acting as a follow-up to the highly successful City on the Edge, The Global Edge examines Miami in the context of globalization and scrutinizes its newfound place as a major international city. Written by two well-known scholars in the field, the book examines Miami’s rise as a finance and banking center and the simultaneous emergence of a highly diverse but contentious ethnic mosaic. The Global Edge serves as a case study of Miami’s present cultural, economic, and political transformation, and describes how its future course can provide key lessons for other metropolitan areas throughout the world.

Miami in the Twenty-First Century

The Global Edge

The children of the past decade's influx of immigrants comprise a second generation far different than any this country has known before. Largely non-white and from the world's developing nations, these children struggle with complex problems of racial and ethnic relations in multicultural urban neighborhoods, attend troubled inner city schools, and face discriminatory labor markets and an economy that no longer provides the abundant manufacturing jobs that sustained previous generations of immigrants. As the contributors to The New Second Generation make clear, the future of these children is an open question that will be key to understanding the long-range consequences of current immigration. The New Second Generation chronicles the lives of second generation youth in Miami, New York City, New Orleans, and Southern California. The contributors balance careful analysis with the voices of the youngsters themselves, focusing primarily on education, career expectations, language preference, ethnic pride, and the influence of their American-born peers. Demographic portraits by Leif Jensen and Yoshimi Chitose and by Charles Hirschman reveal that although most immigrant youths live at or below the official poverty line, this disadvantage is partially offset by the fact that their parents are typically married, self-employed, and off welfare. However, the children do not always follow the course set by their parents, and often challenge immigrant ethics with a desire to embrace American culture. Mary Waters examines how the tendency among West Indian teens to assume an American black identity links them to a legacy of racial discrimination. Although the decision to identify as American or as immigrant usually presages how well second generation children will perform in school, the formation of this self-image is a complex process. M. Patricia Fernandez-Kelly and Richard Schauffler find marked differences among Hispanic groups, while Ruben G. Rumbaut explores the influence of individual and family characteristics among Asian, Latin, and Caribbean youths. Nativists frequently raise concerns about the proliferation of a non-English speaking population heavily dependent on welfare for economic support. But Alejandro Portes and Richard Schauffler's historical analysis of language preferences among Miami's Hispanic youth reveals their unequivocal preference for English. Nor is immigrationan inevitable precursor to a swollen welfare state: Lisandro Perez and Min Zhou and Carl L. Bankston demonstrate the importance of extended families and ethnic community solidarity in improving school performance and providing increased labor opportunities. As immigration continues to change the face of our nation's cities, we cannot ignore the crucial issue of how well the second generation youth will adapt. The New Second Generation provides valuable insight into issues that may spell the difference between regeneration and decay across urban America.

The New Second Generation

The sociological study of economic activity has witnessed a significant resurgence. Recent texts have chronicled economic sociology's nineteenth-century origins while pointing to the importance of context and power in economic life, yet the field lacks a clear understanding of the role that concepts at different levels of abstraction play in its organization. Economic Sociology fills this critical gap by surveying the current state of the field while advancing a framework for further theoretical development. Alejandro Portes examines economic sociology's principal assumptions, key explanatory concepts, and selected research sites. He argues that economic activity is embedded in social and cultural relations, but also that power and the unintended consequences of rational purposive action must be factored in when seeking to explain or predict economic behavior. Drawing upon a wealth of examples, Portes identifies three strategic sites of research--the informal economy, ethnic enclaves, and transnational communities--and he eschews grand narratives in favor of mid-range theories that help us understand specific kinds of social action. The book shows how the meta-assumptions of economic sociology can be transformed, under certain conditions, into testable propositions, and puts forward a theoretical agenda aimed at moving the field out of its present impasse.

A Systematic Inquiry

Economic Sociology

"Portes suggests that immigration constitutes an especially appropriate Mertonian 'strategic research site' for economic sociology in that it provides very good opportunities for investigating the embeddedness of economic relationships in social situations....the contributors expand the conventional domain of economic sociology quite literally in both time and space."—Contemporary Sociology "Alejandro Portes and his splendid band of collaborators make clear that the causes, processes, and consequences of migration vary dramatically from group to group, that a group's history makes a profound difference to its fate in the American economy. They have produced a sinewy book, a book worth arguing with."—Charles Tilly, Columbia University The Economic Sociology of Immigration forges a dynamic link between the theoretical innovations of economic sociology with the latest empirical findings from immigration research, an area of critical concern as the problems of ethnic poverty and inequality become increasingly profound. Alejandro Portes' lucid overview of sociological approaches to economic phenomena provides the framework for six thoughtful, wide-ranging investigations into ethnic and immigrant labor networks and social resources, entrepreneurship, and cultural assimilation. Mark Granovetter illustrates how small businesses built on the bonds of ethnicity and kinship can, under certain conditions, flourish remarkably well. Bryan R. Roberts demonstrates how immigrant groups' expectations of the duration of their stay influence their propensity toward entrepreneurship. Ivan Light and Carolyn Rosenstein chart how specific metropolitan environments have stimulated or impeded entrepreneurial ventures in five ethnic populations. Saskia Sassen provides a revealing analysis of the unexpectedly flexible and vital labor market networks maintained between immigrants and their native countries, while M. Patricia Fernandez Kelly looks specifically at the black inner city to examine how insular cultural values hinder the acquisition of skills and jobs outside the neighborhood. Alejandro Portes also depicts the difference between the attitudes of American-born youths and those of recent immigrants and its effect on the economic success of immigrant children.

Essays on Networks, Ethnicity, and Entrepreneurship

The Economic Sociology of Immigration

John Walton

Labor, Class, and the International System explores the interface between the labor process, class structure, and the global requirements of accumulation as a necessary complement to the analysis of capital and dominant institutions and focus on this interaction to clarify some of the apparent contradictions and bring the general models in line with empirical reality. The book provides analysis of concepts and hypotheses derived from general theory with available empirical knowledge on each particular topic. Each chapter addresses problem areas namely, international migration; pre-capitalist modes of production and the reproduction of the urban labor force; and dominant ideologies of inequality and class structure. Sociologists, political scientists, economists, researchers, and students of international studies will find the book very interesting and insightful.

Labor, Class, and the International System

Manuel Castells

Nelson O Tyrone Jr Professor of History and Professor of Law Dean College of Arts and Science Lauren Benton

Lauren A. Benton

"A New York roofer requests payment in cash. A Bogota car mechanic sets up "shop" on a quiet side street. Four Mexican immigrants assemble semiconductors in a San Diego home. A Leningrad doctor sells needed medicine to a desperate patient. All are part of a growing worldwide phenomenon that is widely known but little understood. The informal or underground economy is thriving today, not only in the Third World countries where it was first reported and studied but also in Eastern Europe and the developed nations of the West. The Informal Economy is the first book to bring together studies from all three of these settings and to integrate them into a coherent theoretical framework. Taking an international perspective, the authors dispel a number of misconceptions about the informal economy. They make clear, for instance, that it is not solely a province of the poor. Cutting across social strata, it reflects a political and economic realignment between employers and workers and a shift in the regulatory mission of the government. Throughout, the authors' theoretical observations serve not only to unify material from diverse sources but also to map out directions for further research."--Back cover.

Studies in Advanced and Less Developed Countries

The Informal Economy

This third edition of the widely acclaimed classic has been thoroughly expanded and updated to reflect current demographic, economic, and political realities. Drawing on recent census data and other primary sources, Portes and Rumbaut have infused the entire text with new information and added a vivid array of new vignettes and illustrations. Recognized for its superb portrayal of immigration and immigrant lives in the United States, this book probes the dynamics of immigrant politics, examining questions of identity and loyalty among newcomers, and explores the psychological consequences of varying modes of migration and acculturation. The authors look at patterns of settlement in urban America, discuss the problems of English-language acquisition and bilingual education, explain how immigrants incorporate themselves into the American economy, and examine the trajectories of their children from adolescence to early adulthood. With a vital new chapter on religion—and fresh analyses of topics ranging from patterns of incarceration to the mobility of the second generation and the unintended consequences of public policies—this updated edition is indispensable for framing and informing issues that promise to be even more hotly and urgently contested as the subject moves to the center of national debate..

This book gathers researchers from across the globe to examine paradigms, policies, and practices for developing an inclusive intercultural and transnational framework to reduce societal inequities brought about by transnational migration. This is necessary to positively integrate culturally-diverse families into schools and societies.

Integration, Identity and Education of Transnational Migrants in a Globalized World

Living in Two Homes

One out of five Americans, more than 55 million people, are first-or second-generation immigrants. This landmark study, the most comprehensive to date, probes all aspects of the new immigrant second generation's lives, exploring their immense potential to transform American society for better or worse. Whether this new generation reinvigorates the nation or deepens its social problems depends on the social and economic trajectories of this still young population. In Legacies, Alejandro Portes and Rubén G. Rumbaut—two of the leading figures in the field—provide a close look at this rising second generation, including their patterns of acculturation, family and school life, language, identity, experiences of discrimination, self-esteem, ambition, and achievement. Based on the largest research study of its kind, Legacies combines vivid vignettes with a wealth of survey and school data. Accessible, engaging, and indispensable for any consideration of the changing face of American society, this book presents a wide range of real-life stories of immigrant families—from Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, the Philippines, China, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam—now living in Miami and San Diego, two of the areas most heavily affected by the new immigration. The authors explore the world of second-generation youth, looking at patterns of parent-child conflict and cohesion within immigrant families, the role of peer groups and school subcultures, the factors that affect the children's academic achievement, and much more. A companion volume to Legacies, entitled Ethnicities: Children of Immigrants in America, was published by California in Fall 2001. Edited by the authors of Legacies, this book will bring together some of the country's leading scholars of immigration and ethnicity to provide a close look at this rising second generation. A Copublication with the Russell Sage Foundation

The Story of the Immigrant Second Generation

Legacies

"Ethnicities is a timely and important book. Rumbaut and Portes have brought together a group of stimulating essays by leading scholars in immigration studies that deal with issues at the heart of debates about the new second generation. From Mexicans to Vietnamese and Haitians, the essays show how the children of immigrants in diverse groups are faring and, in different ways, "becoming American." This volume is sure to become a standard reference for future research in the field."—Nancy Foner, author of From Ellis Island to JFK: New York's Two Great Waves of Immigration "The authors take the reader on an instructive cross country journey to understand the newest immigrants and their children. Ethnicities fills a big gap in the sociological portrait of today's American mosaic."—Herbert Gans, author of The War Against the Poor "This pathbreaking book, rich in new data and incisive analyses, is the first to bring together a collection of studies of the second generation's diverse origins, pathways, and challenges. Ethnicities will spark many lively discussions among my students, many of whom belong to this brave new second generation."—Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, author of Doméstica: Immigrant Workers Cleaning and Caring in the Shadows of Affluence "This tightly focused collection makes it clear that the children of immigrants are key to understanding the nation's new immigrant experience. It reveals contradictory trends among, for example, Haitians, Filipinos, Cubans, Vietnamese, and Mexicans, such as high praise for American society along with increased reports of discrimination. This book contributes significantly to major empirical and theoretical debates."—Rodolfo O. de la Garza, co-author of Making Americans, Remaking America "Remarkably coherent, readable and insightful, this volume makes important contributions to theory, particularly in recasting the concept of assimilation. By combining survey data with interviews and historical background, Ethnicities (and its companion, Legacies) provides a wealth of information about the long-term effects of contemporary immigration--examining what happens to the second and subsequent generations. It is both an exciting and a disturbing book."—Bryan R. Roberts, author of The Making of Citizens: Cities of Peasants Revisited

Children of Immigrants in America

Ethnicities

"If Marx, Weber, and Durkheim were alive at the dawn of the 21st Century Legacies is the first book they would have to read to understand just what is at stake in the new immigration. This elegant book--theoretically precise, empirically robust, and analytically savvy--will become the standard by which all subsequent scholarship on the sociology of immigration will be measured. I am buying an extra copy today to send to the new President of the United States."—Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco, Professor and Co-Director,The Harvard Immigration Projects, Harvard University "Legacies is an indispensable guide to understanding how the children of today's immigrants will become the Americans of the 21st Century. For both scholars and the public, it should be essential reading, for it explains why today's approaches to ethnic incorporation will not only fail, but will backfire, yielding a second generation that is less assimilated than it might otherwise be."—Doug Massey, co-author of Worlds in Motion: Understanding International Migration at the End of the Millennium "Using a unique storehouse of information, and telling a story with analytic precision and grace, Portes and Rumbaut provide a glimpse into the future that is now. Legacies is an important book, one that should be widely and carefully read."—Roger Waldinger, author of Still the Promised City? African Americans and New Immigrants in PostIndustrial New York "Legacies demonstrates that there is more than one immigrant experience, and more than one second generation. It is a path-setting study, because the diversity among the most recent newcomers, and the varied ties and discontinuities between them and their children, will be the key to understanding race and ethnic relations in this country in the 21st Century."—John Logan, co-author of Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place "Portes and Rumbaut allow the diverse voices of the new second-generation immigrants to speak, both in vignettes of their life stories and in clear analytical accounts of their schooling, attitudes, and identities. The authors provide a compelling analysis that is both inspiring and troubling."—Charles Hirschman, co-editor of The Handbook of International Migration "Legacies is itself a legacy--of one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken to study the integration of the children of immigrants in a nation that styles itself as the nation of immigrants. Portes and Rumbaut have now donated the wealth of insights gained from this project to our common weal, and no one who cares about the American future can afford to ignore what they have to say. It deserves to be read and discussed not only by scholars but also by policymakers and the general public."—Richard Alba, author of Ethnic Identity: The Transformation of White America "An extraordinary analysis of a contemporary condition that has not yet been fully recognized by our policymakers and commentators: The millions of second generation immigrants who will be a major part of our future. Portes and Rumbaut show the importance of developing intelligent policy."—Saskia Sassen, author of Guests and Aliens

Alejandro Portes

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