RSF
Volume 4, Issue 5, 2018, Pages 47-80

Immigrant perceptions of U.S.-born receptivity and the shaping of American identity (Review) (Open Access)

Jones-Correa M.* , Marrow H.B. , Okamoto D.G. , Wells H.B. , Tropp L.R.
  • a University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Political Science, 214 Stiteler Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
  • b Tufts University, United States
  • c [Affiliation not available]
  • d Department of Sociology, Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society, Indiana University, Bloomington, United States
  • e University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States

Abstract

Despite ideals grounding American identity in principles and ideas, most U.S. citizens continue to believe that they are rooted at least in part in ascriptive characteristics such as religion, race, or language. Research suggests that these views shape attitudes toward immigrants, and that nonwhite and non-Christian immigrants may therefore be less likely to feel American. Drawing on survey and interview data, this article examines the ways ascriptive characteristics shape immigrants' identification as American. Our results confirm the importance of particularly skin tone and language in shaping identification as well as the role of perceived welcome in tempering their negative impact. Such identification and perceptions have important consequences, increasing immigrants' likelihood of naturalization and decreasing their desire to return to their countries of origin. © 2018 Russell Sage Foundation.

Author Keywords

Mexican Immigrant American identity language welcome Skin tone Religion Ascriptive characteristics Indian

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85056476007&doi=10.7758%2frsf.2018.4.5.03&partnerID=40&md5=d9b2293ca42a28b7439c8b49bd74614f
DOI: 10.7758/rsf.2018.4.5.03
ISSN: 23778253
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English