Americanism in the Twenty-First Century
Public Opinion in the Age of Immigration

Explores public opinion about being and becoming American, and its implications for contemporary immigration debates.

Deborah J. Schildkraut (Author)

9780521145244, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 15 November 2010

280 pages, 15 b/w illus. 38 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

“In the current heated environment that surrounds immigration, Americanism in the Twenty-first Century offers a refreshingly thorough and sophisticated analysis of the issue from the perspective of what it means to be an American. Schildkraut uses original survey data that allow her to look not only at what whites think of immigration or at what minority groups think about being American, but also at what a variety of racial and ethnic groups think of the two together. What she finds is incredibly important to anyone interested in American identity, immigration, and the heated politics of our time. In many ways, anti-immigration alarmists have much less to fear than they think. Immigrant and native-born minorities do not differ from native-born whites in their beliefs about Americanism or the norms it entails (such as obligations to fellow Americans, trust in government, and patriotism). Yet Schildkraut convincingly shows experiencing discrimination leads immigrant and native-born minorities to feel marginalized and to be less willing to express the norms and beliefs surrounding Americanism. Her findings suggest that the popular anti-immigration policies of the early 21st century will likely contribute to precisely the sentiments alarmists fear.”
—Elizabeth Theiss-Morse, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

This book explores public opinion about being and becoming American, and its implications for contemporary immigration debates. It focuses on the causes and consequences of two aspects of American identity: how people define being American and whether people think of themselves primarily as American rather than as members of a panethnic or national origin group. Importantly, the book evaluates the claim – made by scholars and pundits alike – that all Americans should prioritize their American identity instead of an ethnic or national origin identity. It finds that national identity within American democracy can be a blessing or a curse. It can enhance participation, trust, and obligation. But it can be a curse when perceptions of deviation lead to threat and resentment. It can also be a curse for minorities who are attached to their American identity but also perceive discrimination.

1. Introduction
2. The 21st century Americanism survey
3. Defining American identity in the 21st century
4. Policy implications of multidimensional Americanism
5. The myths and realities of identity prioritization
6. Does 'becoming American' create a 'better' American?
7. Immigrant resentment: when the work ethic backfires
8. The politics of American identity.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Sociology [JHB]