William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

1818 Chapter 1 | Understanding American Politics

come to this country, they should mostly leave their native languages and customs

behind. This perspective focuses on assimilation into American culture, with the belief

that while immigrant groups will maintain some traditions from their native country,

our common bonds as Americans are more important. Supporters of this view usually

advocate making English the country’s official language, oppose bilingual public

education, and, if they favor immigration at all, prefer that it be restricted to well-off

people from English-speaking countries.

However, there are varied alternatives to the melting pot view. These range from

racial separatists such as the Nation of Islam, whose members see white-dominated

society as oppressive and discriminatory, to multiculturalists, who argue that there

is strength in diversity and embrace a “tossed salad” version of assimilation (that is,

each ingredient remains distinct but contributes to the overall quality of the salad).^17

In general, people holding this viewpoint favor less restrictive immigration laws and

oppose policies that encourage immigrants to assimilate.

This debate over culture is one reason why recent discussions about immigration

law have been so conflictual—the two sides start from very different premises about the

value of diversity. But regardless of how this debate is resolved, our multiracial makeup

is clear, as Figure 1.2 shows. In fact, trends in population growth suggest that by 2060

or so, whites will no longer constitute a majority of the U.S. population. The extent to

which this diversity continues to be a source of political conflict depends on the broader

role of race in our society. As long as there are racial differences in employment,

education, health, housing, and crime and as long as racial discrimination is present in

our society, race will continue to be a source of political conflict.

Many of the same observations apply to gender and politics. The women’s movement

is usually viewed as beginning in 1848 at the first Women’s Rights Convention in

Seneca Falls, New York. The fight for women’s suffrage and legal rights dominated the

movement through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Beginning in

the 1960s and 1970s, feminism and the women’s liberation movement highlighted a

broad range of issues: workplace issues such as maternity leave, equal pay, and sexual

harassment; reproductive rights and abortion; domestic violence; and sexual violence.

DID YOU KNOW?

7%

less than their male peers, even

after controlling for differences in

major, training, parenthood, hours

worked, and other factors.

Source: American Association of

University Women

One year after graduation,

college-educated women

working full time earn on average

FIGURE

1.2

Source: Census data aggregated by author. Raw data available at http://www.census.gov/projections (accessed 6/21/16).

White

Hispanic or Latino

Black or African American

Asian

American Indian and Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

Two or More Races

2015

% of population^2060

61.7 17.7 12.4 5.3

0.7 0.2 2.1

43.6 28.6 13.0 9.1

0.6 0.2

4.9

Only about 62 percent of Americans describe themselves as white. Moreover, the proportion of Hispanics and Latinos in the

population is about 18 percent and rising, although this category contains many distinct subgroups. What changes would you

expect in American politics and federal policy if the actual population in 2060 matches the projections?

The Racial Composition of the United States

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