| Abstrakt: |
The article presents a study related to ethnicity and generations in the United States. Longtime Americans with roots extending back three generations or more are in the minority since the majority (66%) of Asians currently in this country are foreign born. The complexion and composition of Asian America has changed dramatically due to the changes brought about by the Immigration Act 1965. Asian ethnics find themselves confronted with questions of ethnic and cultural authenticity, as not being Asian enough in the way they conduct themselves or their lifestyles. To explore the authenticity dilemma confronting Asian ethnics, the author conducted a study on the middle class Asian ethnics. The purpose was to determine the content, meaning and salience of ethnicity in their lives, to observe whether they felt that whether ethnicity was an optional facet of their identities, and to observe the role played by race in shaping their life experiences. In the study, forty-eight participants were of Japanese ancestry, three of mixed Chinese-Japanese heritage, and the remaining forty-four were of Chinese ancestry. |
Full text from SpringerLink