This encyclopedia contains 50 thorough profiles of the most numerically significant immigrant groups now making their homes in the United States, telling the story of our newest immigrants and introducing them to their fellow Americans.
One of the main reasons the United States has evolved so quickly and radically in the last 100 years is the large number of ethnically diverse immigrants that have become part of its population. People from every area of the world have come to America in an effort to realize their dreams of more opportunity and better lives, either for themselves or for their children.
This book provides a fascinating picture of the lives of immigrants from 50 countries who have contributed substantially to the diversity of the United States, exploring all aspects of the immigrants’ lives in the old world as well as the new. Each essay explains why these people have come to the United States, how they have adjusted to and integrated into American society, and what portends for their future. Accounts of the experiences of the second generation and the effects of relations between the United States and the sending country round out these unusually rich and demographically detailed portraits.
Features
- Comprises contributions from 50 sociologists, anthropologists, historians, social scientists, and political scientists, many of whom are from the countries they discuss
- Offers appealing sidebars featuring young people who represent the newest generation of American immigrants throughout the book
- Provides maps showing where each country is located and photographs that accompany each essay, depicting cultural events and a young immigrant from that nation
- Includes a glossary of important terms, a bibliography of sources, and a "Further Reading" section with each essay
- Contains appendices of census statistics on American immigration
- Presents a chronology of major historical events in each of the sending country's history
Ronald H. Bayor, PhD, is professor of history at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. His published works include Neighbors in Conflict: The Irish, Germans, Jews, and Italians of New York City, 1929-1941 and Race and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Atlanta. Bayor is also the founding editor of the Journal of American Ethnic History.
Reviews
"Bayor’s work is informative and critical at a time of world compression and is essential for academic, large public, and, ideally, high school libraries."—Library Journal, October 15, 2011
"The essays are well written and easy to understand, and they include numerous references. . . . Public, academic, and high school libraries will find this an excellent addition to their collections."—Booklist, Starred Review, December 1, 2011
"Overall, these entries provide background on new immigrant groups for those interested in better understanding immigrants' experience and impact in the US. Summing Up: Recommended."—Choice, December 1, 2011
"Though it is at times scholarly in tone, this set will help readers to understand American immigrants’ experiences and the impact immigration has on the United States. Bayer’s fine introductory essay presents a clear account of the phenomenon over time. . . . This set will be useful for student research and for faculty who want to learn more about the cultures of the immigrant students they teach."—School Library Journal, December 1, 2011
