Becoming a Citizen: Incorporating Immigrants and Refugees in the United States and Canada

Irene Bloemraad

Published by University of California Press 2006

Becoming a Citizen

Incorporating Immigrants and Refugees in the United States and Canada

Irene Bloemraad
Edited by: Irene Bloemraad

https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940024

Overview
Contents

About this book

How can societies that welcome immigrants from around the world create civic cohesion and political community out of ethnic and racial diversity? This thought-provoking book is the first to provide a comparative perspective on how the United States and Canada encourage foreigners to become citizens. Based on vivid in-depth interviews with Portuguese immigrants and Vietnamese refugees in Boston and Toronto and on statistical analysis and documentary data, Becoming a Citizen shows that greater state support for settlement and an official government policy of multiculturalism in Canada increase citizenship acquisition and political participation among the foreign born. The United States, long a successful example of immigrant integration, today has greater problems incorporating newcomers into the polity. While many previous accounts suggest that differences in naturalization and political involvement stem from differences in immigrants’ political skills and interests, Irene Bloemraad argues that foreigners' political incorporation is not just a question of the type of people countries receive, but also fundamentally of the reception given to them. She discusses the implications of her findings for other countries, including Australia and immigrant nations in Europe.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Illustrations Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	xiii
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	xv
Introduction: The Challenge of Immigrant Political Incorporation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. Diverging Trajectories of Political Incorporation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	17
2. The Social Nature of Citizenship and Participation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	65
3. Structured Mobilization: The Role of Government Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	102
4. The Meaning of Citizenship Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	138
5. Community Organizations and Political Mobilization Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	161
6. Learning to Lead and Winning Political Office Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	189
Conclusion: Multicultural Citizenship Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	233
Appendix: Interviewees Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	253
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	263
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	321
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	347

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: University of California Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 382
Illustrations
- Other: 4 graphs, 1 line drawing, 10 tables
Keywords: Social Science; Emigration & Immigration

eBook

Published: August 31, 2006
ISBN: 9780520940024

Paperback

Planned Publication: August 31, 2006
ISBN: 9780520248991