ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I review vital concepts in immigration, showing that mode of incorporation and social class offer a more solid explanation for the outcomes of migration than culture or individual choice. I further maintain that a proper understanding of immigration must include a reassessment of the African American and Asian American experiences. Research on African Americans and studies of immigration have bifurcated over time with the former focusing on poverty and social dysfunction and the latter emphasizing assimilation and upward mobility. That schism makes it appear as if there were no connections between the two fields of inquiry. The opposite is true. Reclaiming the black experience is essential to understand immigration, race, and ethnicity. Equally relevant is a fresh look at the Asian journey. Interpretations focusing on cultural superiority and “model minorities” widen unfavorable comparisons with African Americans. Nevertheless, as shown in this chapter, a review of historical facts reveals that causes other than culture bear greater explanatory power in attempts to explain immigrant efficacy. Among them is a shared class position in countries of origin that makes it more likely for immigrants, including those from Asia, to attain high levels of social and economic mobility in adopted countries.
