Essay from the year 2016 in the subject Sociology - Political Sociology, Majorities, Minorities, grade: A, Kenyatta University, language: English, abstract: This essay will explore the sociological imagination analysis of race and ethnic issue in California and the national immigration issue by covering the following paradigms: structural functionalism, symbolic interaction and social conflict perspective. Evidently, the two sides of the United States’ political divide have utilized the opportunity to accentuate the manner through which California is different from the rest of the nation. For years, Americans have recognized California as the Golden State, maintaining that it was initially a distant and dreamy land, then as a cultural shaper and as a promised land for millions and millions of Americans and immigrants. While it remains to be America’s most populated state, attributed to a great success story, there are many areas where it has failed to live up to its promise. Notably, California is a demographic giant, an aspect implying that its respective issues correlate with those of the entire nation. The history of California is characterized by a constant change, owing its preeminence to its natural advantages such as the vast geographic area and pleasant climate and to human ingenuity. In this respect, it is imperative to note that its proximity to Mexico has forced the State to continue experiencing unprecedented population growth by Latinos who highly contribute to the ever-changing nature of California society, its politics and culture. It is unfortunate to note that, currently, spiteful characterizations of immigrants together with draconian plans for their marginalization have been drifted by diverse political figures to a startlingly receptive public; an aspect linked to the California Proposition 187.

Presenting an analysis of American assimilation theory Bash attempts to dissect the concept and what it has come to mean in the United States. After tracing the "natural history" of the assimilation notion and later its theoretical elaboration, he explores far more theoretical linkages by way of concept formation and theory construction in the area of racial and ethnic group relations.

Since the 1960s, radical sociology has had far more influence on mainstream sociology than many observers imagine. This book pairs seminal articles with new reflective essays written by the founders of progressive sociology, including Fred Block, Edna Bonacich, Samuel Bowles, Herbert Gintis, Val Burris, G. William Domhoff, Richard Flacks, Harvey Molotch, Goran Therborn, and Erik Olin Wright. The book highlights the wider impact of radical sociology and shows how the work of these and other writers has continued to influence sociology's continuing interest in capitalism, class, race, gender, power, and progressive social change. It also describes future directions for a critical sociology relevant to a multicultural and global world.

Nationalism and ethnicity have become, across time and space, a force in the construction of boundaries. This book analyses geographical and physical borders and symbolic, political and socio-economic boundaries, and how they impact upon nationalism and ethnic identity. Geographic and other tangible borders are critical components in the making and unmaking of boundaries. However, symbolic or intangible boundaries along national, ethnic, political or socio-economic criteria are equally significant. Organised into three sections on theory, national and transnational case studies, this book both introduces existing approaches to the study of boundaries and illustrates how it is possible to apply renewed boundary approaches to better understand nationalism and ethnicity in contemporary contexts. Expert contributors in the field present detailed case studies on the UK, Israel, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and draw upon further examples from more than a dozen countries to provide a critical evaluation of the use of borders, boundaries and boundary-making in the study of nationalism and ethnicity. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of International Politics, Nationalism, Racial and Ethnic Politics, Ethnic Identity and Sociology.

First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

ALERT: Before you purchase, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products. Packages Access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included when purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson; check with the seller before completing your purchase. Used or rental books If you rent or purchase a used book with an access code, the access code may have been redeemed previously and you may have to purchase a new access code. Access codes Access codes that are purchased from sellers other than Pearson carry a higher risk of being either the wrong ISBN or a previously redeemed code. Check with the seller prior to purchase. -- The second edition of Race and Ethnicity: The United States and the World continues its legacy as an introductory survey text covering the basic concepts and research of theoretical issues and empirical studies of race and ethnicity in the U.S. and throughout the world. Through state of the art chapters, Dr. Scupin introduces the concepts of race, the fallacies of scientific racism, and theoretical perspectives on ethnicity -- followed by fourteen chapters that detail the empirical findings of anthropologists on race and ethnicity in the U.S. and the world. Note: MySearchLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab, please visit: www.mysearchlab.com or you can purchase a valuepack of the text +MySearchLab (at no additional cost).