Santa Clara University Digital Exhibits

Assimilation versus Multiculturalism

Assimilation and multiculturalism are present in any immigrant experience. It is crucial to know the difference between them to understand how these terms are important in immigrant experiences. Assimilation is when immigrants adopt the social norms, language, and culture of the place they've come to. It can lead to the loss of their culture with the intention of 'blending in' with the more dominant culture. Multiculturalism is defined as maintaining culture while incorporating the dominant culture.

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In this interview, Roland Damiani explains how Italy is no longer their home and has so much love for America.

Italian Americans maintain their culture by integrating it into American culture. They did this by holding festivals specific to Italy. Some of these festivals were religious such as The Fest of San Gennaro while others were related to Italian products such as cheese and pasta. Throughout generations, culture can be lost due to assimilation. These festivals keep the Italian culture alive as they take place every year.

This newspaper article speaks on language barriers while getting an education which leads to unintentional assimilation in a college with mixed cultures.

The mix of assimilation and multiculturalism added to America today. Immigrants who took pride in these led to the creation of 'Little Italy' in many different cities all over America.