ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the findings of the secondary study, focusing on the sense of national belonging of the American children of Mexican immigrant parents, who by 2001-2003 had become young adults. It explores the interaction between the children/young adults' ethnic identity, acculturation and their sense of national belonging. The chapter examines the interaction between ethnic identity, acculturation and sociopolitical White Nativism, and the young adults' sense of national belonging. It explores White Nativist, sociocognitive, discursive constructions that posit that ethnic identifications other than American, and acculturation strategies other than assimilation, weaken individual and collective notions of American national belonging. Regression analyses identified a statistically significant negative association between ethnic identity and patriotism. Regressions analyses were conducted to examine in one single model the relationship between: ethnic identity; explicit importance of ethnic identity; experienced prejudice; perceived sociopolitical White Nativism; acculturation strategy categories, and national belonging. Civic engagement was subdivided into community/religious participation and electoral participation.
