Last week's topic, the social and historical construction of race and ethnicity, brings to light the effect of time on the views, values, laws, and overall social stratification existing in American society and throughout American politics. What happens in the past shapes, in part, our perspectives and choices in the present. Over the course of the past two centuries the United states has become the most diverse nations on earth and Chicago, one of its most diverse (and segregated) cities. These trends are continuing as immigration and demographic data show that the white population in America is not growing at near the rate of other racial groups. After looking at the data from our readings this week, what do you think this growing diversity means for the U.S.? What does it mean for Chicago? What are the strengths and/or weaknesses and what does it mean in terms of American politics?
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ReplyDeleteAlthough the data suggests that the US is diversifying more and more everyday the reality is quite different. Yes, I understand that when it comes to numbers the data can and is true but if we put into account the groups that create this diversified nation and the segregation they encounter the argument becomes a whole different issue. Diversity as a whole is a difficult topic since it stems on the issue of immigration itself, we label certain ethnic groups as immigrants while glorifying the idea the american citizen. Diversity is a label just like race and it does not create an equal separation between of ethnic groups in the nation. For me the term diversity is just a fancier way of saying race and segregating ethnicities.
ReplyDelete-Sara Oceguera
It is interesting to think that Chicago is so diverse and that as the years go on the city grows more and more gaining people from all different types of backgrounds. As the country grows the diversity grows, not only does this mean in location but in education, employment, and politically. I feel that there are many positive aspects to this such as continuing to have Americans learn more about various cultures and grow to understand them. I also feel that competition occurs when diversity plays a factor in certain situations. For example in the job market some areas need people who speaks a certain language versus someone who only speaks English. I agree with Jan's point that the increase of diversity in America will create new ways of thinking, and new knowledge for each other to learn from.
ReplyDelete-Sami Wiley
Diversity, to me, and it seems a bit like Sara O was making this point as well, is a somewhat arbitrary term. Sure, the composition of Chicago and the United States as a whole is by the dictionary definition, changing to encompass many different "forms, types and ideas", but that doesn't inherently mean the change is positive or negative. I think that it is important to continue to discuss what changing demographics mean to the social, political and economic dynamics in the US because then we will be more successful in channeling all the cultural differences into something positive and productive, rather than segregating and marginalizing specific groups within the population, all while operating under the pretense of this pseudo-celebration of "diversity" that institutions in the US so often promote. The possibilities embedded in living in a "global-city" like Chicago are exciting, but they will not become a reality if the maps continue to develop with such socio-economic and cultural segregation as the neighborhood map posted showed. The more you have people of different backgrounds coming together, the more chances you have to really create something progressive, but at the same time, your risk of conflict and clash between people increases.
ReplyDelete-Lilly McNicholas
With the population of other races and ethnicity on the rise in most recent years, I would have to say this is a great thing. Diversifying America, becoming different from one another, could lead to people questioning other people's races, traditions, ethnicities, and religions which can lead to people opening up more of a capacity to learn about one another and evolve their knowledge past what they know and or believe already. With amount of diversity we have in the United States, it will introduce people to new ideas and change, however we still have groups of people who are not willing to accept other people because they are different from them. Even with how diverse we know we are, there are institutions and citizens out there who completely abhor it and think of it as a threatening situation to them when they shouldn't feel that way at all. Sometimes these people hold "Power Player" positions within important institutions and they wouldn't dare allow someone of a different background be an equal to them and go to nearly any length to stop it.
ReplyDeleteIn short, diversity is a great thing that allows us to be more open-minded, yet there will always be people out there that abhor it and choose to pick an elitist racial group society over one where every voice matters.
Coming from an area with such a diverse community, I have been exposed to this for my entire life. It has never been weird to hear seven different languages being spoken when walking down the hallway, let alone walking down the street. I am all for growing diversity in America. I think that people are afraid of change, but what people have to understand is how relatively young of a country that the United States is. There is so much change that is to come in our country, and the change in growing diversity is no different. Chicago is also an extremely diverse place, and I don’t believe that the change will be as dramatic for Chicago as it will be for certain suburbs and other areas of the country that are predominantly one race, ethnicity, or religion. I think that it is more of a culture shock than anything, and if people were more aware and educated about other cultures that the fact of a changing diverse nation would be more widely accepted. As for politics, a diverse nation will mean having more diverse politicians and a more diverse government. This could be great thing, but this could also be a horrible thing. With a more diverse government brings more diverse opinions. This may cause many problems and issues that may take longer to solve, but having a more diverse government can also lead to open mindedness. Politicians and government officials have so much influence in our country, and having a diverse group of people can lead to awareness, which can lead to the most important issue which is acceptance.
ReplyDelete-Alyson Schlauder
To me the word diversity means many groups of people that speak a different language that other people don’t know or understand, people that have a different type of background, and people that are from countries all over the world. Yes it is true that Chicago is the most diverse city in America. I have been in Chicago my whole life which is why I think that living in such a diverse city is pretty nice. By being in such a diverse place we can learn things we never knew about from other people, eat different types of food, and learn other languages. I can see why being in such a diverse city might cause some problems to other Americans. Some people hate when they hear other people talking in a different language just because they don't understand what they are saying. In that case some people might automatically assume that the people talking in a different language are talking about them. That is not true most of the time because some people might know English but prefer to speak their own language. For example, both my parents came to America many years ago but till this day they both prefer to speak Urdu and not English. My parents tell my siblings and I that we should speak in Urdu to them because it is easier for them to speak and understand. I agree with Sami when she said, “As the country grows the diversity grows, not only does this mean in location but in education, employment, and politically.” This is how many immigrants look at it because most of them come to America to have a better life and hope to get a nice job so they can support their family. Some studies say that it is good to have immigrants in the United States because they help create more jobs for Americans. This is probably true because now more jobs are open to the people of the United States.
ReplyDelete-Arifa Rizvi
For me diversity means having different beliefs and different cultures, but also being able to live together in relative harmony. This country is a nation of immigrants, and I personally think it's important for people to carry on traditions and bring different aspects of the native culture to the United States. I've lived in Chicago my entire life, and it's easy to see why it is called one of the most diverse cities in America. This city was once a place primarily occupied by immigrants from numerous foreign countries, and Chicago has stayed so diverse because those immigrants who came here over a hundred years ago brought their culture and it never left. Living in a diverse community or city allows you to experience things you never really thought you could. you can have authentic food from different nations, learn different languages, see different styles of dress, etc. Coming from a family of immigrants I understand wanting to hold onto old world traditions. I think diversity is an amazing thing and that it needs to be embraced. I totally agree with what Jan said ("Diversity makes this country a more interesting place to live, as people from diverse cultures contribute language skills, new ways of thinking, new knowledge, and different experiences"). Diversity is what makes America different from any other country. You're always learning something new and interesting and it's the diversity in this country that allows us to better understand what is happening in the world around us; beyond our nation's borders.
ReplyDelete-Katelyn Schweitzer
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ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting to see how America has grown in diversity. Both my parents are from the Chicago area, and when they were growing up they were the only Chinese family in their neighborhoods. Now, in Chicago it's not abnormal to see many different ethnic groups or cultures represented. However, a lot of the cultures seem to stick in certain areas within Chicago. Like, Argyle is a big Asian community. And I think there's pros and cons to this type of diversity. People are able to visit these communities and get a good feel for a culture. But then, wouldn't it be better and a truer diversity if we incorporated these cultures into every neighborhood? I understand that people tend to feel more comfortable in an environment they know, but people aren't fully exposed to different cultures. It is almost like picking and choosing our diversity. If we want to avoid a certain group, we can skip over their neighborhood. And I know not every town is like this and there are some extremely diverse communities, but I think there's still areas where our diversity as a city can improve.
ReplyDelete-Courtney Sit
After looking at the data from the past week, I believe that the United States will continue upward in the amount of diversity as the years go on. From as early as 1780 the United States has been referred to as a "melting pot" of racial and ethnic groups. This fact has led to the United States being considerably more open minded to the idea of diversity; which includes, but is not limited too: new cultures, traditions, and religions. If American diversity continues with this trend, people are going to start becoming more accustomed to the new ways of a diverse country. For Chicago; however, I feel like the more diverse the city gets the more the borders of the pockets where different racial/ethnic groups live are going to become more distinct.
ReplyDeleteOne strength a more diverse country could provide for the government is that it will open up leadership positions within the government for people of different backgrounds allowing there to be a wide variety of different viewpoints on a specific topic or problem. There could be a few possible weaknesses to this as well. One of the weaknesses could be that the scope could shift on what is deemed most important in the eyes of the government. For example, if a person takes a seat in the government that comes from a racial background that has experienced generations of segregation or limited opportunities, the focus of the government could begin to draw specifically to making up for these years of hardships.
-Tyler Betancourt
I think that the growing diversity in America will force us to take other cultures into account when making laws or in just day to day life. If laws that do not take other cultures into account are made, there will eventually be too many people affected for it to go unnoticed. Politicians will have to appeal to these different audiences after a certain point just because there will undoubtedly be a vast number of them. I think because of politicians trying to appeal to different audiences, other Americans will be upset and not want to vote for them. It will be up to them to try and find a balance to make everyone happy.
ReplyDeleteAnother advantage would be that more diverse people will go into power. If we have more diverse people go into power it will help people of their kind have a better place in America. People will also be exposed to others cultures in day to day lives more. This will helps greatly decrease discrimination, hopefully. The closer we get to those who are different, the nicer we will end up treating them.
-Daniel Hernandez
As our world shifts towards globalization and technology gives us the power to Skype family members thousands of miles away, its no wonder America is becoming such a diverse country. Many Americans are still bias towards different races and ethnicities, but I believe that will change through time and generation. Today, even though America is considered diverse by global terms, it is still extremely segregated, especially in Chicago. In the 1960s, Puerto Ricans used to be living in Lincoln Park and Wicker Park neighborhoods. Around the time of suburbanization, government officials realized they needed to make the city more marketable to higher income individuals, which led to urban renewal and later gentrification. This led to Puerto Ricans being pushed towards the west, eventually settling in Humboldt Park. Today, gentrification is still occurring by the private sector, even in Humboldt Park. It's not fair to push an entire culture out of city limits, merely because private investors want to make more money off rent. As Chicago is growing in ethnicity, the city needs to stop ignoring minorities and develop more efficient housing for the growing population.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that America is so diverse, and we are lucky to live in one of the most diverse cities (putting the segregation aside for the moment). There will always be people who are not thrilled about the growing diversity in this country, but I think that the country as a whole is moving in the right direction. The younger generations are increasingly more accepting of others and I think the trend will continue.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the growing diversity in the country will also lead to more diversity in politics. That would be a great advantage and would allow for America to prosper immensely. I agree with what Daniel said about how politicians will have to appeal to the different audiences, because it's true. As the country becomes more diverse and the majority of voters are a certain race/ethnicity/etc, then the politicians will have to acknowledge their needs/wants in order to be elected. I also agree with Tyler about the disadvantages to this as well. There will have to be a happy medium, but that could take time. It won't happen overnight, but I think we're heading in the right direction.
-Sophie Mimica
The population of the United States is indeed becoming more and more diverse, and, if the statistics are any indication, the nation will continue to do so. The thing that concerns me is the ever-increasing levels of segregation. I come from Omaha, Nebraska, which is essentially segregated into three distinct districts: white, African American, and Latino. Upon moving to Chicago, I was hoping to experience less-defined lines within the population. What I found instead was many small burrows of many different cultures. No matter the number of cultures and races represented, the result was the same. Chicago is as equally segregated, if not more so, than my home town.
ReplyDeleteAs Lilly mentioned, "diversity" is just a term. It has neither a positive or a negative connotation until we give it one. I think that what people believe to be "diversity" is not what we are currently experiencing. There's a difference between living in proximity to people of different cultures and personally interacting with those people on a daily basis. I think that, in order to truly reap the benefits of a diverse culture, we must first try to loosen the restraints of segregation in the community. Desegregation is a difficult process, but I think Sophie is right in believing that younger generations are more accepting of other cultures and races. Let's hope the trend continues.
As many of my classmates have seemed to express, diversity is indeed a very powerful and valuable aspect of todays way of life. Here in the United States, more specifically, Chicago, diversity is widening, i.e., we are seeing plenty of other cultures expanding such as hispanic, african american, etc., and not the white population. As our past few class debates have focused on, there are many pros and cons to this. There is a two way street for those who decide to come to America and make a living and for us who were born and raised and have decided to stay and make a living in America. A two way street in which it is a necessity for everyone to be considerate, otherwise things will not go smoothly. We as American citizens often get offended when immigrants or "other" cultured peoples come around and act as if they have some sort of entitlement. One has to be respectful. Also, I can only imagine how disrespected immigrants or people with different races or ethnicities feel when we as Americans do not give them a chance just because they are different in race or ethnicity. Like I said earlier, it is a two way street.
ReplyDeleteThe combining of different cultures and ethnicities in America has led to great things. Overall, we seem to have at least a shallow understanding of other ways of life besides our own, and hopefully that leads to a greater respect and appreciation for other cultures. All this being said, America may be deemed as "The Melting Pot", but we don't seem to have "melted" together at all. More and more immigrants are coming to America, adding to the diverse group that is already here, and it's obviously more comfortable to be around a people that shares your own culture. So while there is more diversity than ever in the United States, there is also the most segregation. Many of my classmates have commented that they've lived in Chicago all their life and love the diversity, but you can't see the diversity here without being confronted with the segregation. There are specific neighborhoods for specific cultures, and certain groups of people stick with who and what they know. It's understandable, but if people don't attempt to understand those around them, whether they're the same culture or ethnicity or not, the people of America won't work together well at all and our country may have some big issues on their hands.
ReplyDeleteThere's no denying the growing number of minorities will soon outnumber the number of White people in this country, but this doesn't necessarily mean tensions between races and racial discrimination will diminish. South Africa had fewer than 10% of it's population White, but that did not stop the White South Africans from taking control of the government for years. Politically it might mean that elected officials will have to "win over" or pay attention to certain racial groups to get elected, but this means nothing if the promises campaigned are empty.
ReplyDeleteI think diversity is a wonderful thing, we can all learn from one another. But unfortunately, diversity is just that, a word. It will not positively affect racial tensions in America. In fact, it might just make them worse. Races that were once the majority might feel threatened that "their" country and "their" culture are being taken over. The face of America is changing.
Diversity is definitely perceived as a positive concept on DePaul's campus. From my experience (and from browsing the above comments), I can take away that most people consider diversity to be something embraced. Diversity improves the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and understanding. However, growing up in a very "traditional American" and southern town, I know this is not the case everywhere. Prejudices still persist and are what create the alienation and isolation of certain racial or ethnic groups.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, I see certain people's disdain for other cultures almost as a way for compensating for ones lack of cultural identity. No one can truly answer the question "what is American" because in a way it does not exist. To me, this only becomes problematic when the policies enacted by the government and society pressure, force, and perpetuate systems of assimilating certain racial and ethnic groups while alienating others. The end goal is to make people with more pronounced cultural identities either blend in or go away.
-Catherine Adams
Diversity is great in an economic standpoint because it open up more opportunities and jobs for people. Jobs are created through small businesses and since the United State is an open border country people are able to bring in their own education, culture, experiences, different resources, and tools that they can provide to the economy that a closed-border cannot. Although I think that people are becoming more comfortable and accepting toward people other than their own ethnicities I still believe that there are still a lot of prejudice, hatred, and ignorance. In my opinion, the reason why this is the case is because people are not educated enough in term of cultures and they will assume things and perceive things from what they see in media or what they heard.
ReplyDeleteTime will tell whether this ignorance will go away but in the meantime the reality is that there are so many people that are coming in to the United State and not enough information in order to shed stereotypes. Like I said before with time I think people will be able to catch up and become more open because they become more knowledgeable. Chicago is definitely diverse but like my classmates said it is segregated. I would not say this segregation of groups is a bad thing because it is normal for people to feel contented with others within the same ethnicity. According to the data Chicago did not change much and I think it should slowly become less segregated because I feel like there is no point of being diverse if all the groups are just staying within their own.
The U.S. absolutely has a diverse population and yes, some of these groups are most certainly segregated but I think it’s important to acknowledge that a good portion of that segregation is perpetrated by the actual groups and not entirely by American society. Understandably, people don’t like to travel too far outside of their comfort zone but a little change and new things aren’t all bad. Diversity also fosters growth through the knowledge and experience gained from those who choose to learn from one another. I personally don’t think the segregated existence some people are choosing to live is positive or healthy for anyone. If this behavior continues to become more prevalent with the ever growing diversity of the population, America will breed even more strife than is presently apparent in today’s society.
ReplyDelete