...Introduction Italian immigrants migrated into the US together with many of their Europeans neighbors. When they first came to US most of the migrants had a very hard life. Arriving in a new country, the Italian migrants mostly had very little money and had no idea of their new place apart from US being the land of opportunity. The lack of resources and contacts in the new country prompted many of these immigrants to settle down in the place the first set down. These immigrants came from various parts of Italy they were scattered all around the US. This paper will look at the common menu of those Italian migrants and look at how it has involved in the community that is now known as the Italian-American. This essay will mainly try to address the significant issues of the process of ethnic identity. This paper will argue that the role of family is very important in advocating ethnic identity. The influence of a very rigid and traditional family institution helped the Italian immigrants whom in the end were known as Italian American to maintain their identity. This is fascinating because despite undergoing changes from generations to generations their tradition is still very much alive and important to them. The paper will further argue this point by looking, the transmission of ethnic consciousness amongst the Italian American. Last but not least we will look at the maintenance of ethnic group boundaries and most importantly, the role of food in such process. Overall...
Words: 3263 - Pages: 14
...Introduction Italian immigrants migrated into the US together with many of their Europeans neighbors. When they first came to US most of the migrants had a very hard life. Arriving in a new country, the Italian migrants mostly had very little money and had no idea of their new place apart from US being the land of opportunity. The lack of resources and contacts in the new country prompted many of these immigrants to settle down in the place the first set down. These immigrants came from various parts of Italy they were scattered all around the US. This paper will look at the common menu of those Italian migrants and look at how it has involved in the community that is now known as the Italian-American. This essay will mainly try to address the significant issues of the process of ethnic identity. This paper will argue that the role of family is very important in advocating ethnic identity. The influence of a very rigid and traditional family institution helped the Italian immigrants whom in the end were known as Italian American to maintain their identity. This is fascinating because despite undergoing changes from generations to generations their tradition is still very much alive and important to them. The paper will further argue this point by looking, the transmission of ethnic consciousness amongst the Italian American. Last but not least we will look at the maintenance of ethnic group boundaries and most importantly, the role of food in such process...
Words: 2902 - Pages: 12
...Italian Culture in America John Smith Psych 105 Dr. Diop Spring, 2012 Italian Culture in America America is known to be the country where most people from outside immigrate to, not only bringing their families but also their traditions with them. “According to the 2000 U.S. Census, almost 16 million Italian Americans live in the United States” (Quagliata, 2011, p. 1). Most immigrants that come to America lose their heritage; however, that is not the case for the Italian culture. Not only did Italians incorporate a style of living in America, they also brought their traditions into the country as well. Some of the customs they brought with them include their food, their game of bocce ball, their religion, and their way of greeting one another. Italian Food When thinking of the Italian culture, the first thing that comes to mind is their food. Cinotto (2000) states, “Since food is a cultural artifact, imbued with meanings and values, the cross-cultural consumption of Italian cuisine is a significant marker of the way in which others see and imagine Italy and the Italians” (p. 1). Pasta, parmesan, and cannoli’s are probably the most popular and most known Italian foods. With the way many Americans fell in love with the Italian food, it soon became part of the American culture as well. The Italian immigrants brought over their historical foods and formed new eating habits for the Americans, and most of the Italian food was shaped in Little Italy where the...
Words: 1253 - Pages: 6
...realities of American plenty merged together to shape the ethnic identities of millions of American women and men from Italy, Ireland, and Jewish Eastern Europe" (p. xvii). Sensitive to the physical and the existing predicament of hungry people, Diner strengthens our understanding of the influence of American abundance on immigrants by arguing that culturally specific memories of the European past determined Italian, Irish and Jewish food ways in the U.S. In this essay I will discuss how the European Jewish immigrants and the Italian immigrants dealt with the issue of identity formation. For the Italians food was a significant factor in strengthening ethnic identity and community in the United States because to them food was very significant. Family and food play a large role in Italian life. Diner says, “The matrix of food family-sanctity served as an Italian peasant ideal, in part because it is so often lay beyond the grasp of the poor.” (p. 35). In other words, even the poor people of Italy found the appreciation of food to be a very important part of Italian culture. When the Italian immigrants entered America they impacted communities in the United States by the way of food. The most prominent Italian food is macaroni. Many macaroni factories were opened in America and represented the Italian culture. America changed Italian culture because the food was much cheaper in America. Italians were eating the food they considered sacred everyday, compared to rarely being able to...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...As an Italian immigrant coming from Italy to America, I was not treated with the respect as the earlier generation before me (Drutchas, 2011). Furthermore, Americans seems to reverence the immigrants from the British Isles, Germany, and Scandinavia better; they feel as though they have more to offer to the United States than the Italians (Drutchas, 2011). Also, the Americans feel as though I’m not capable of producing the same amount of work; and that I’m not as intelligent as those from Germany and the British Isles (Drutchas, 2011). Additionally, being from Italy, I’m not given the same opportunities as the immigrants from Scandinavia (Drutchas, 2011). In fact, because I’m from Italy the Americans put me in a lower category. They feel as though I’m incapable of assimilating to the United States standard of living (Drutchas, 2011). Most importantly, I’m hesitant about pledging my loyalty to a political organization, when they...
Words: 690 - Pages: 3
...This record of Italian immigration is a key component in understanding my family background and facilitating a focal point in the century fueling Italian immigration. My grandmother’s perspective is a firsthand account that reveals the methods in which Italian immigrants assimilated and even influenced American culture. Their initial reaction along with the hardships of being new in a strange new world is a fascinating piece of American History. This presentation serves as a small piece of historical content revealing how foreigners relied on this country as a catalyst in building a life one could only dream of. Genetically, my background consists of an array of European influences. However, my family majorly identifies and honors our bloodline of Sicilian descent. My mother comes from a very strong German, Italian upbringing while my father is primarily and predominantly most associated with Italian; specifically speaking, Sicilian. The idea of having to record this information proved to be extremely important in historical value and delivered a sense of pride in my understanding of family foundation. The influx of Italian heritage and culture defined American lifestyle from the mid1800’s all the way until the late 1900’s. It is one of the most abundantly and culturally enriching populations to hit American soil, primarily the East coast. My earliest American relatives date back to 1905 in the midst of Italian Influx to American Eastern coastal suburbs and city areas. One...
Words: 665 - Pages: 3
...the Italians. I have just a small amount of Italian in me and I know very little about my Italian ethnicity. I thought by me choosing the Italian ethnicity I would be able to learn more about the Italians and have a better understanding of how they came to America and the struggles they had to face while being here. The Italians started to migrate to the united states for a few different reasons in between the mid 1800’s and the mid 1900’s. These reasons were due to poverty, over population, and even natural disasters that had caused them to decide to migrate to the United States. Some of these natural disasters were scarcity of cultivatable land, soil erosion and deforestation. The Italians also had a lack of coal and iron ore which were needed by their industry. Many of the Italians that migrated to the United States didn’t plan to stay here permanently. The Italians wanted to come to America to build their money up so that they could better take care of their families that were still in Italy. Most of the Italians that had migrated to the United States during this time were men starting at the age of eighteen and up. There were some women who migrated to the United States as well but most of them were men. Most of the Italians that migrated to the United States were from rural communities and had very little education. Even though the Italians were farmers in Italy they had not come to America to do farm work. Most of the Italians had found unskilled work in the American cities...
Words: 830 - Pages: 4
...practice? What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? 1. The German Americans are the largest singles source of ancestry of individuals that are in the United States today. The German Americans settled in the United States in the late 1700’s, they came because of their religious dissenters such as the Amish who were attracted by the proclaiming of religious freedom. Even though the German Americans started coming in the late 1700’s it wasn’t until the 1830’s through 1890 the German immigrant population represented one quarter of the immigration. During World War I most of the German Americans distanced themselves away from their home land, by the ending of the twentieth century the animosity that was towards Germany fell distant. That is because of John F. Kennedy being in Berlin in 1963 and Ronald Reagan in 1987 and they both spoke of uniting Germany. Present days the immigration from Germany is between 5,00 and 10,00 annually. Some customs that the Germany Americans may practice still while in America would be their language. They would even continue to cook their dishes, and open up German bakery stores. Something that I admire of the German Americans would be that even though the Germans in their homeland did horrific things during World War I and World War II, they didn’t act upon it. They stayed true to themselves by being the German Americans they chose to be by coming to...
Words: 1704 - Pages: 7
...the Northeastern part of America falls off of being the leader to California’s Silicon Valley. Though it’s not towards the restaurants and businesses of the Italian, French, German, Russian, Muslims, Jews, and the English; “Huge waves of non-European immigration since the 1960s have made the United States the nation with the highest immigrant population in the world” also stated by Molly Doane in her statements at http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/United-States-of-America.html and so because of this today most of the cultures that are a part of America and its history would be the Italians, Jewish, and the English cultures. This is because before the revolutionary war people emigrated from Britain to America to the 13 colonies, then there were the Italians who immigrated to America because of the English population saying it is a land of the free and people would live better and richer than they already were. The Italians are most famous for creating the mafia and godfathers that people have heard or known about today. The Jewish have more history with America than the Italians. The Americans helped free the Jews and leads them to America so they can live with freedom, without fear of dying by another person’s hand just because of what he or she are, and being able to make a life of their own for themselves and their family. They immigrated to America and created another culture to the list after the first World War. The Jewish culture is mostly famous for the Hebrew language and...
Words: 1895 - Pages: 8
...ABSTRACT International management studies have been based primarily on the comparison of managerial behavior in countries around the world. Often, these studies have implied that businesspeople behave similarly with their domestic colleagues as with their foreign counterparts which indeed sums up to conflicting results. Context of the negotiations at the international level are faced with the differences between various cultures: a longterm attitude towards communication, the power placement, the uncertainties avoiding, emotional differences between the negotiating parties and others. These and other differences in cross-cultural dimensions can influence the process of negotiations between the representatives of different cultures in the negotiations. There may happen in a variety of misunderstandings in negotiations and between the two parties of the same culture, while the process of preparing for the talks with different cultures requires empirical studies in Intercultural Communication. The article discusses cultural dimensions of two contrasting cultures and their effect on negotiations. The Article includes cross cultural studies between an Asian and a European nation’s cultural strengths and weaknesses to anticipate an opposing nation’s possible behaviors in the negotiation process, and to understand the cultural factors that may influence their decision making. It is commonly believed that cross-cultural studies are focused on certain phenomena and discuss the...
Words: 4259 - Pages: 18
...how we become introduced into this planet. We are all born on a specific date and time and take that first breath of air when we are no longer in our mother’s womb. After that moment, everyone has a different story. We are all born into a specific culture which is dictated by our parents. They raise us and instill in us their values, beliefs, and behaviors without our consent or approval. By the time we begin to speak, we already have an idea of what is right and what is wrong based on how we have been taught. Yet, it is not until we have experiences of our own away from our parents that we begin to challenge their ideals and beliefs. Going to school, college, abroad, volunteering, are all great examples of instances that will change your outlook on your preconceived ideas. However, one will undergo the most drastic change in their perception of the world and in their values once they expose themselves to literally “a whole new world”. Perceptions of your own culture and the culture you immerse yourself in change once you have left your home country and experienced first handedly other worldviews and ways of life. Culture is reflected on how one feels towards many different elements. With this being said, it is fair to say that culture furnishes attitudes. Having a general evaluation of something or someone is learned throughout the course of your life. Attitudes are feelings about things that range from positive to negative. They may be tweaked or changed, although changing them...
Words: 2900 - Pages: 12
...may practice? |this group’s people, lifestyle, or | | | | | |society? | |Native Americans |The original inhabitants of the land were |5.2 million | |I admire their culture and beliefs | | |the native Indians. | | | | |African Americans |The African presence in the united states |316.1 Million |african Americans are known to have oral|I admire their culture and beliefs | | |began almost simultaneously with permanent | |traditions, dance traditions that | | | |white settlement. | |depicts a rich, expressive culture | | |...
Words: 1056 - Pages: 5
...quality patient care as well as develop a therapeutic relationship and healing approach. Being able to deliver high quality care to patients and families is of utmost importance for nurses. In order to be most efficient in the delivery the nurse has to be culturally competent. Being culturally competent encompasses more than just asking where a patient was born. In America, this is due to the fact that a good portion of the population consists of people who have immigrated from all over the world (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). This paper discusses the usefulness of using the HAT when evaluating three culturally diverse families. The Italian Americans, Spanish Americans, and Filipino Americans will be compared to identify the differences in health protection, health maintenance, health restoration, common health traditions and practices. The HAT assessment consists of twenty-nine questions that focus specifically on an individual’s cultural background, religious practices, beliefs, and family relations. By using the Heritage Assessment Tool the nurse learns about the patient’s culture which assists in better caring for a culturally wide range of patients (Saver, 2007). Not only does this assessment assist with helping the nurse understand the patient’s background but also assists in painting a better picture of that patient’s personal view on health. A patient’s culture and background directly affects how he or she receives healthcare services such as health...
Words: 1118 - Pages: 5
...groups are more willing to harm innocents rather than going after those who wronged them.The Italian mafia has been a prominent theme in the media for decades. Movies and shows that are usually the most talked about are The Godfather, Goodfellas, and the Sopranos. The media's portrayal of the mafia has created stereotypes for Italians that are socially accepted in American culture.Movies and shows like these create terrible stereotypes for Italian because these gangster lifestyles are glorified. Sadly, most Italians living in America today embrace these stereotypes instead of setting them right.These shows today often make a mockery about what the mafia actually stands for.These shows are often scripted so they can get more views. Some mafia tv portrayals are :Mob Wives, Amish Mafia, Mafia City, The Sopranos, and Boardwalk Empire. In todays American society stereotyping of most cultures is seen greatly in the media. Media such as: MTV's reality TV shows “Jersey Shore”, HBO series the “Sopranos”, VH1’s reality show “Mob Wives”, the movie “Goodfellas” and, “The Godfather” are some examples of when Americans began to misjudge Italians. Most of these movies and TV shows reflect badly on Italian culture. Going back to when Italians first step foot in America no negative, stereotypical thoughts were found at all.It wasnt until movies and shows began mentioning Italians, that they started being called “mobsters” or better yet, “guidos”. Comic book authors, too, took aim at those...
Words: 688 - Pages: 3
...people of this group may practice? | What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? | 1. Spanish Americans | The existence of Spanish Americans started since 16th century (Lawrence 2002). Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida on April 2, 1513 and named it Pascua Florida as a Spanish term for Easter (Hoogenboom, 2006, p. 14). | As of 2007, the population of Spanish Americans is 45,378,596 (Pew Hispanic Center, 2009). | Hispanics are mostly Catholics. According to Cultural Diversity (2008), their social customs include elders having a prestigious status in the Hispanic family because of their experience Health practices of Hispanics are being emotionally expressive that they expects to be pampered when ill (Cultural Diversity 2008). | I admire Hispanics and their contribution to society in the field of entertainment. I also admire how Hispanics respect elders as one who has more experience than younger family members. | 2. African Americans | African Americans in majority arrived in U.S. as slaves in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Congress abolished the international slave trade in 1808. | According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008), there are 246,833 African American are in U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau 2008). | African American are known to have oral traditions, dance traditions that depicts a rich, expressive culture showing their deepest feelings, aspirations, wishes (Saloy, 2009). | The admirable trait...
Words: 1506 - Pages: 7