Considering the US-American society there are two entirely different definitions on how people live together in the States.
In the beginning of the settlement people had the vision of forming a new "ethnical group". They saw the American continent as a place where they could live together, not next to each other, a place where it did not matter where they came from and what they were in their "old" life. They thought it to be a place of a new beginning and a very important part of the American dream is expressed in the theory of the melting pot. It says that America is "a place where people from different races, countries, or social classes come to live together to form a new race." (...) Culture and traditions as well as the specification of a people were supposed to melt together to form something new and something better.
Nowadays scientist more often use the term salad bowl for the American society. Peter Lösche talks in detail about that second theory in his book "Amerika in Perspektive":
Die Vereinigten Staaten bestehen aus Tausenden und Abertausenden Nachbarschaftsinseln, die klar voneinander abgegrenzt und verschieden sind. [...] Auf diesen Nachbarschaftsinseln wohnen Menschen, die die gleiche ethnische oder rassische Herkunft haben; die ungefähr das gleiche wöchentliche oder monatliche Einkommen verdienen; die über etwa das gleiche Sozialprestige verfügen. [...] Dies sind Inseln der Gleichheit und Glückseligkeit, auf denen der amerikanische Traum geträumt werden kann und tatsächlich geträumt wird, deren Bewohner zum Verwechseln ähnliche Werte, Einstellungen und Überzeugungen haben. Wer mehr Geld verdient, sozial aufsteigt und dadurch seine politischen Ansichten verändert, der zieht in eine andere Wohngegend. [...] Innerhalb der Inseln besteht großer Konformitätsdruck, zwischen den Nachbarschaften hingegen ist die größte, farbigste Vielfalt zu beobachten. [...] (Lösche, Amerika in Perspektive, S. 46ff)
There is of course a mixing of the different ethnical groups, for example through intermarriages, but only to a certain degree. In most cases it is very simple to tell a Hispanic from a White, a Black from an Asian and an Indian from all the others. In big cities like New York the segmentation can clearly be seen by everybody: there is for instance a Chinatown, a Little Italy, Ghettos full of Black people and outside the cities are reservations full of Indians.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. History - from the beginning to the 20th century
2.1. Indians in General
2.2. The Navajos in particular
3. Indians in the 20th century
4. The Navajos as an example of today’s Indians
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the historical and contemporary situation of American Indians within US society, with a particular focus on the Navajo tribe. It examines the shift from initial coexistence to segregation, analyzes the impact of government policies on Native American lives, and investigates how the Navajo maintain their cultural identity in the modern era.
- Historical evolution of American Indian cultures and their encounter with European settlers.
- Impact of the "Long Walk" and federal policies on the Navajo nation.
- Sociological analysis of current conditions on reservations, including education, health, and housing.
- The struggle for cultural preservation and the maintenance of traditional values in a modern world.
- Economic development and political status of the Navajo within the US state system.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.THE NAVAJOS IN PARTICULAR
16 years after the passing of the IRA, in 1846, the tribe of the Navajos got in contact with US-American soldiers for the first time. Therefore they were one of the last tribes who fell under the US-American sway. They are quite an unsual tribe anyway, as they only came to Dinetha (that is how they call the area they live in) between the 13th and 16th century after Christ. Before that time they lived much further in the North, in today’s Canada. That is why their language is related to the language of Natives still living there.
They chose the prairies next to the villages of the Pueblo-Indians as their new home and lived in independent local groups without a centralized power. They mainly lived from hunting and collecting and had to roam the country all the time. Therefore every little group had their own kind of leader because they could not stay at one place for a longer period of time.
However, the Pueblo-Indians had developed quite a high civilization and gained their food by growing corn and beans and keeping dogs and turkeys as domestic animals. They lived in quite big villages made of stone or adobe and were very good in weaving blankets and baskets and doing pottery.
To them the Appaches were known as very martial people who ransacked their villages and stole their wives. But it took not very long until a few groups of the Appaches started to adopt some of the customs of the Pueblo-tribes and chose to live a half-nomadic life. These Appaches are now known as Navajos.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the theoretical concepts of the "melting pot" versus the "salad bowl" regarding US society and introduces the research focus on Native Americans.
2. History - from the beginning to the 20th century: Provides a chronological overview of Native American origins and traces the specific history of the Navajos from their migration to their contact with US forces.
3. Indians in the 20th century: Discusses the transition of Native Americans toward citizenship and the legislative changes intended to improve their status and preserve their cultural rights.
4. The Navajos as an example of today’s Indians: Analyzes the socioeconomic challenges, such as poverty and housing conditions, faced by the Navajos while highlighting their efforts to sustain their heritage.
5. Conclusion: Reflects on the complexities of integration and argues for a mutual approach between the American government and Native communities to ensure cultural diversity.
Keywords
American Indians, Navajos, Diné, US-American society, reservations, integration, cultural identity, Native Americans, history, socioeconomic challenges, Indian Removal Act, tradition, sovereignty, education, health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main objective of this work?
The essay aims to provide a comprehensive view of how Native Americans, specifically the Navajos, live in today’s US society, contextualized by their historical background.
Which specific tribe is used as a case study?
The Navajo tribe is used as the primary case study to illustrate the lived experiences of Native Americans in the modern era.
What primary sociological theory is discussed in the introduction?
The introduction compares the "melting pot" theory with the concept of the "salad bowl" to describe how different ethnic groups coexist in the United States.
How is the historical development of Native American society described?
It describes their transition from nomadic hunters and collectors to settled agriculturalists and their subsequent displacement and forced reservation life.
What role did government legislation play in the 20th century?
Legislation like the Indian Self-determination and Education Assistance Act and the Native American Language Act aimed to grant Natives more autonomy and preserve their cultural identity.
Which criteria are used to evaluate the current situation on reservations?
The author evaluates the situation based on housing quality, health metrics, educational opportunities, and employment rates.
What is the significance of the "Long Walk" mentioned in the text?
The "Long Walk" is characterized as the "blackest chapter" in Navajo history, representing the forced resettlement to the infertile reservation of Bosque Redondo.
How do the Navajos attempt to balance the "two worlds" today?
They integrate modern education and job-market participation with the preservation of their traditional language, religious ceremonies like the Blessingway, and strong community solidarity.
- Quote paper
- Saskia Paasch (Author), 2003, American Indians in US-American society - then and now -, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/32510
