Chapter 4: Immigration And Oppression

Americanization

The demand that immigrants to the United States reject their ethnic or cultural heritage and conform to American ways as defined by the dominant group

Anti-semitism

Having anti-Jewish prejudices or stereotypes, or engaging in discrimination against Jews

Assimilation

A process whereby immigrants adopt cultural traits of the host country in order to be identified with that country and integrated into the immediate society

Asylum

A safe place; a shelter from danger (pertaining to refugees)

English Only

A movement in various states demanding that legislatures make English the official language of the state, with the eventual goal of having the federal government make English the official language of the United States

Eugenics

The study of agencies under social control that may improve or repair the racial qualities of future generations, either physically or mentally

Linguistic Diversity

The range of variation exhibited by human language

Nativism

An anti-immigrant ideology advocating the protection of "native" inhabitants of a country from new or potential immigrants who are viewed as threatening or dangerous

Oppression

When any entity (society, organization, group, or individual) intentionally or unintentionally distributes resources inequitably, refuses to share power, imposes ethnocentric culture, and/or maintains unresponsive and inflexible institutions toward another entity for its supposed benefit and rationalizes its actions by blaming or ignoring the victim

Refugee

A person "unable or unwilling to return to his or her country because of a well-founded fear of persecution . . . based on race, religion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group or political party"

Xenophobia

Fear of or prejudice against people from other nations