This thesis explores one of the major lacunae in migration history: what happened to the descendants of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who migrated to the Dutch Republic in the early...Show moreThis thesis explores one of the major lacunae in migration history: what happened to the descendants of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who migrated to the Dutch Republic in the early modern period? Immigrants constituted a large segment of the urban population: in Amsterdam around 1650 circa forty percent of the resident population was born abroad. Thousands of these immigrants got married in Amsterdam and had children. The lives of these children, but also of the (great)grandchildren, had not been studied until now. Profiting from recent advancements in the digitisation and indexation of the parish registers and the notarial archives of Amsterdam, this thesis analyses the processes of integration, assimilation and social mobility of nine families with a Norwegian or Danish migration background between 1660 and 1811. What was their process of integration like, and to what extent did they experience social mobility?Show less
The relationship between Thailand and China is very vast topic. It is very extensive and has played a big part in influencing the Thai culture. Migration of Chinese to Thailand is a part of the...Show moreThe relationship between Thailand and China is very vast topic. It is very extensive and has played a big part in influencing the Thai culture. Migration of Chinese to Thailand is a part of the Thai Chinese relationship that this thesis will be examining. Evidence of Chinese settlers has been dated back to the 12th century. History has shown that through circumstantial reason and cultural similarity Chinese migrants has adapted to the Thai society to the point of becoming a part of it. Despite this, in the modern time, newer Chinese migrants and the host country are facing challenges within a world that has becomes more complicated than the ones in the past. This leads to the question of viability of Chinese assimilation in modern times. This thesis seeks to draw a comparative analysis of two different waves of Chinese migration to Thailand from the year 1918-1955 and the year 1979- present. This will be done through examining the governmental policy and international relation that surrounds the migration from both Thailand and China.Show less
During the late 19th and mid 20th centuries, Native American boarding schools were implemented throughout the United States and Canada. Within the boarding school system, assimilative strategies...Show moreDuring the late 19th and mid 20th centuries, Native American boarding schools were implemented throughout the United States and Canada. Within the boarding school system, assimilative strategies were implemented. This study primarily analyzes the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. It asks: To what extent does an analysis of the Carlisle Indian Industrial boarding school demonstrate strategies and a U.S. hegemonic project of assimilation of Native Americans into the dominant culture? Based on a review of the literature on systematic racism in US educational systems and the theory of Hegemony data was analyzed. The results indicate that the current debate on Native American boarding schools entails many different experiences, values, and cultural aspects. Native American students were, upon return, more linguistically assimilated. In addition, many former Native American students experience issues related to mental health, alcohol, substance abuse and family related problems. Based on these conclusions, future studies should address the evolvement of the assimilation process, and to what extent Native American culture is being maintained.Show less
Assimilation in colonial African history has often been studied as an active policy. Recent literature has argued that assimilation was instead far more limited and complicated, especially in the...Show moreAssimilation in colonial African history has often been studied as an active policy. Recent literature has argued that assimilation was instead far more limited and complicated, especially in the case of French-Senegal. This thesis therefore examines cultural assimilation as a rhetorical tool rather than as a directly implemented idea, asking: did the French colonial government in Senegal, between 1852 and 1906, consciously implement assimilation processes with the intended purpose of stimulating the general acceptance of French identity in local indigenous groups, or were there other factors involved? A precursory analysis of how the métis of the Four Communes self-gallicised into French mercantile and cultural intermediaries frames the complex historical situation of French-Senegal. The centuries-long public disinterest towards imperial affairs that the métis experienced resulted in certain freedoms, which they used to construct themselves as French intermediaries over a long period of time. This directly contrasts the short-term adjustments to the indigenous status quo undergone by the Toucouleurs of Futa Toro in the late-19th century, after decades of direct and indirect conflict with the French. This paper provides a more complete picture of how assimilation evolved, was viewed, and significantly more limited than 19th and early-20th century ideological rhetoric suggests. Limited intermediary construction emerges instead as the colonial government’s main policy to ensure long-term stability in newly acquired interior regions, imperial competition with other European powers being a key catalyst. While the colonial government did attempt a few instances of direct assimilation, the budgetary and logistical difficulties of enforcing the acceptance of French civilization indicate that this was not in colonial interest. Policy was instead driven to construct effective intermediaries, which allowed the government to focus on the larger issues it had to deal with. This is connected to the initial war against the jihadi Toucouleur Empire, and the continuing threat that both it and its leaders represented. The Toucouleur Empire had control over a significant swath of West Africa, and the ruling Tall dynasty that claimed those territories was a problem for French colonial ambitions. In addition, the predominantly Islamic indigenous group was highly resistant to foreign Europeans, making assimilation all the more difficult and unlikely in the long run. Due to the demands of imperial competition, the French sought to undermine the Toucouleur Empire, and the Tall dynasty that held sway over it. This was successful, in part thanks to manipulation of the geopolitical situation through treaties with local indigenous chiefs and arming Toucouleur rivals - with indigenous geopolitics playing a significant role on its own in causing the decline of the Toucouleur Empire. The colonial government seized Futa Toro in 1890, forcing the Tall dynasty into exile. The years that followed and the policies implemented further suggest that assimilation was limited in French-Senegal, largely relegated to rhetoric that exaggerated events to fit into unrealistic ideological expectations. A form of limited intermediary construction was emphasised instead, as seen in source description of Islamic policies, which sought to restrict the movement of Muslim preachers and curtail the influence of Islam. Due to the cultural importance of the Islamic faith in Futa Toro, this policy intended to favour French civilization as a replacement – but was unsuccessful. This shows the difficulties that the colonial government encountered when it did attempt to enforce the widespread acceptance of French civilization, and by extension identity, in indigenous groups. Information-gathering practises through 19th century military expeditions also highlight that the colonial government was in no position to extensively consolidate French identity in the region. The French had to acquire as much information about local affairs as possible, so that effective policies could be enacted within budgetary restrictions – which they used to guide the writing of treaties. This is tied to the power wielded by the Tall dynasty, which originated from established Islamic traditions such as the hajj. The French, through information-gathering practises, were well aware of these traditions, and sought to limit the ability for the clerical elite to rebel effectively against them in the long-term. The eventual restriction of the hajj was subsequently enacted through enforced treaty terms, ensuring that indigenous elite children would acquire a predominantly French-education. Yet even in these schools, they were able to speak their own language outside of class and attend Qur’anic schools. This was done so that the ruling elite would be gallicised enough to never question colonial rule, yet not French enough to be able to identify themselves as such in any meaningful way – potentially unable to act as effective leaders and intermediaries in their respective communities as a result. Even this process was complicated by conflicting interpretations of assimilation between colonial missionaries and officials, relating to assimilation’s conceptual connection to the European civilizing mission. This thesis therefore concludes that the French colonial government in Senegal, between 1852 and 1906, certainly talked about assimilation in a way that implied they had consciously implemented assimilation processes with the intended purpose of stimulating the general acceptance of French identity in local indigenous groups. Other factors show that this was not the historical reality, however. The colonial government was not able to apply direct assimilation to the same ideological extent as rhetoric portrayed. Rather, over the span of several decades and due to budgetary restrictions, the government focused on applying pragmatic long-term solutions to ensure public order and stability. This conclusion was driven by theoretical and methodological considerations. To ensure that colonial perspectives remained firmly fixed in their context, this thesis was written using a social imaginary approach, permitting this paper to speak more objectively to what occurred within colonial conversations. Importantly, this avoids the assumption that a ‘superior’ civilisation was dictating the terms of interaction in West Africa. In addition, this new approach provides fresh insights and perspectives, allowing this thesis to contribute something new to existing colonial African literature.Show less
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, tensions between Estonians and ethnic Russians in Estonia have exacerbated due to the controversial language policy. Having Estonian as the only official...Show moreSince the collapse of the Soviet Union, tensions between Estonians and ethnic Russians in Estonia have exacerbated due to the controversial language policy. Having Estonian as the only official language is proven to be discriminatory towards Russians with low Estonian language skills. This manifests itself in employment and education outcomes that are vital for members of ethnic minorities to avoid being marginalised by society. This paper discusses the likeliehood of each of the pathways of segmented assimilation theory (upward, downward and upward mobility combined with biculturalism) occuring within different regions of Estonia.Show less
This study explored the association between acculturation discrepancies and well-being and the moderating effect of social support of friends. The research was designed to ascertain this effect in...Show moreThis study explored the association between acculturation discrepancies and well-being and the moderating effect of social support of friends. The research was designed to ascertain this effect in first- and second-generation Moroccan immigrants. The study was conducted in The Netherlands. Participants of this study were 50 adolescents - in the range of 13 and 20 years old - and filled in a questionnaire. To measure acculturation this questionnaire contained questions about their preferences for a certain acculturation strategy (integration, assimilation, separation) and what their opinion is about which strategy they have to adjust according to the Dutch society. Furthermore, it is studied if these perceptions are associated with well-being and experiencing social support of friends. In contrast to the expectations, acculturation discrepancies and well-being are not associated. The extent to which participants experience social support of friends is positively associated with the degree of well-being. In addition, this study showed acculturation discrepancies and well-being are not moderated by social support of friends.Show less
For years, Mexicans have migrated to the United States in search of the American Dream. From the moment a Mexican becomes an American citizen, the immigrant is expected to assimilate to the country...Show moreFor years, Mexicans have migrated to the United States in search of the American Dream. From the moment a Mexican becomes an American citizen, the immigrant is expected to assimilate to the country’s culture and politics. This thesis addresses whether these assimilating immigrants actually have any influence on local politics in Texas, specifically El Paso, since 1965. The research answers this question from an individual and local-level perspective of first person accounts in El Paso Texas on political discontent and influence, as well as a local perspective on the assimilation of Mexican immigrants in El Paso.This type of study has not been done before on the local level in El Paso and therefore helps contribute to research on Mexican immigration. Historians and sociologists have focused mainly on the difficulties Mexicans face when migrating into the US, but have not explored the after-effects of these migrations. Three main topics create the foundation of this research, namely assimilation, political representation, and immigration policies for Mexican immigrants in El Paso, Texas. By using literary research as well as interviews with Mexicans who live or have lived in, or close to, El Paso it was found that Mexican immigrants are assimilating to American ways, yet they remain distant when it comes to politics. Because of this distance and disinterest in the subject, Mexicans have little-to-no influence on the politics of the country. Because of the growth in their population, they have become increasingly powerful and have managed to increase their representatives in politics. Yet, when it comes to officially voting or changing policies, Mexican immigrants do not practice this power. Thus, it is very unlikely that there will be a lot of influence on politics by the Mexican community. There has been an increasing influence on the representation of Mexicans, which has empowered them slightly; however, the Mexican community is so detached from the local political system, that it is not likely to create major changes in politics in the coming years.Show less
