Contemporary Conversations on Immigration in the United States Paper Example

TERMS TO KNOW PART A

"Othering," the act of forming distinctions of similarities and differences that categorize individuals between us versus them, is a simplistic manner of sorting and forming identities (Freidenberg 12). It inevitably can lead to stereotyping, ethnocentrism, the intergroup bias of the "them" due to real or perceived differences. "County" is a first tier jurisdiction for administrative or political purposes of a local government within a State (Freidenberg 8). A county executive heads it and administered by an elected the county commission, board of supervisors among other things. It has a county council and county court among others for its administrative purposes. "Global neighborhoods" are heterogeneous, diverse metropolitan neighborhoods with multi-ethnic composition. Ideally, global neighborhoods can serve as prime potential areas where social integration and stability can be established by diminishing the "othering" concept (Freidenberg 12).

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Places as third places. "Places as third space" is a crucial model of neighborhood spatiality of leveling out demographical differences based on background, socioeconomic status, race with the objective of creating community sense and integration in the society (Freidenberg 10). This model establishes a place such as community centers where people can spend time amicably and build camaraderie with others of diverse backgrounds.

Why the Washington D.C. Is a metropolitan area called a "twenty-first-century gateway"? Washington DC Metropolitan Area reference as a twenty-first Century gateway is due to it fast growth and significant increase of immigrants in the 21st C (Freidenberg 6). It is viewed as a preferred and favorable destination for immigrants.

REPORT QUESTIONS PART A

Question 1

Framing immigration as a problem is viewing the settlement of people from other countries as a variable that has a direct correlation to adverse outcomes in the society (Freidenberg 2). In this case, the immigrants are perceived to bring implications that are not favorable to the communities such as economic constraints, aggravated crime rates, among other things. Immigration as an issue entails the challenges encountered by the complex subject of immigration such as integration, assimilation, acculturation, identity, social infrastructure, among others (Freidenberg 2). The challenges of comprehensive immigration reform and executing policies that ensure social justice and compliance with statutory obligations are inescapable. Research avers that decreasing migration barriers has significant positive implication on the economic growth of a country (Freidenberg 4). This is because it increases value to the labor market. For instance, statistics indicate the immigrants from Vietnam to the US led to growth in the export business. Another case in point is a study conducted in 2018 which evaluated the impact of asylum seekers in Western Europe over a period of 30 years. It affirmed that the implications were improved macroeconomics and fiscal status of the region (Freidenberg 4). Similarly, regions with predominantly high number of immigrants experience greater entrepreneurship growth and innovation and fewer crime rates. Research also asserts stringent border regulations; deportation adversely affects the labor market (low skills) and crime.

Question 2

Indigenous Knowledge is the knowledge base organically gained from within by a community (Freidberg 14). On the other hand, expert knowledge is knowledge base gained to a level of proficiency and competence by way of studying and practice. The author predominantly relies on indigenous knowledge which she hopes to use to develop grounded exploration of immigration.

TERMS TO KNOW PART B

White flight. White flight is a phenomenon characterized with the exodus of significant numbers of individuals who identify as of European ancestry from urban areas experiencing an inflow of other ethnicities, and into areas with similar demographics as "them" (Freidenberg, 36).

The intersection of race, class, and ethnicity about who could move where? The intersection of race, class, and ethnicity about who could move is a complex issue of the identity of entitlement and privilege based on the three classes of division: race, class, and ethnicity (Freidenberg 33). They are used as a qualifier for the right of residency in a given area or neighborhood.

The diversity in the social class of African Americans that developed since the 1970's. Diversity in the social class of African Americans that developed in the 1970s was facilitated by the civil rights movements of the 1960s and elimination of structural and systematic discrimination that had limited the African Americans from opportunities and economic mobility (Freidenberg 45).

REPORT QUESTIONS PART B

Question 1

The living conditions of the Native Americans who lived in Prince George County before the first European Immigrants was peaceful. They engaged in hunting, crabbing, fowling among other things (Freidenberg 26). They avoided much interaction with neighboring communities and stayed in their own space. With the arrival of the European, the Piscataway extended hospitality and interacted cordially. The first significant European Immigration occurred after the arrival of John Smith ("Postbellum Archeological Resources in Prince George's County, Maryland").

In the subsequent years, the region experienced increased European settlement with Maryland becoming an English Colony. There was antagonism between the Native Americans and the new immigrants, with the increased displacement of the Native Americans who immigrated to other places or succumbed to the new diseases (Freidenberg 28). Before displacement, there were treaties signed with intent to permit the Native Americans to go on with their daily lives of hunting and other practices of sourcing food. The Anglo fur traders tried to protect the Native American from eviction by the tobacco farmers by paying rent. Nonetheless, the farmers' encroachment advanced, and the indigenous eventually moved to reservations. In the tobacco farms, indentured workers from European were utilized, which was convenient since the Port brought in convicts. The scarcity of this labor led to increased slave ownership. In the late 1700s, slaves were a main portion of the population due to the great demand for Chesapeake tobacco (Freidenberg 30). The acreage of plantation included hundreds of acres. The population was of European ancestry and the African slaves. The Emancipation saw the beginning of the end of the plantation society. This precipitated acute dearth of labor. The outflux of African slaves was helped by the Bureau of Refugees, Freedman and Abandoned Lands which assisted the displaced slaves.

Question 2

The increased transportation infrastructure joining to surrounding urbanizing town such as Baltimore and Washington DC, and the decimation of plantations saw the transformation of the County into residential space (Freidenberg 38). There was a white flight with the growth of Metropolitan residential areas ("Postbellum Archeological Resources in Prince George's County, Maryland").

Question 3

The Immigration and Naturalization Act, 1965 replaced immigration provisions of the quota system, which gave preference to immigration from European countries (Freidenberg 35). This led to an influx from Latin countries and Asia. This impacted the demographic and ethnic profile of Prince George County, resulting in a significant high population of immigrants.

Work Cited

Freidenberg, Judith. Contemporary Conversations on Immigration in the United States: Then View from Prince George's County Maryland. Lexington Books, 2016.