Author: Rose Hum Lee

Publication: Hong Kong University Press

Year: 1960

Call Number: E 184.C5 L477c

Introduction: This book portrays the social, economic, occupational, institutional and associational life of the Chinese in the United States of America. This book aims at giving a summary of the understanding of how the process of acculturation, assimilation and integration operates when persons with distinguishable physical characteristics, bearing a different culture, come into contact with people of European origin. Secondly, to stimulate controversy or agreement as to what the Chinese are truly like, the basis of greter integration may be laid. Thirdly, to put forward the question often being asked, “which of the two ‘homelands’ is meant when discussing China?”. Fourthly, since the couurse of acculturation, assimilation and integration is uneven, how far has each of the subgroups travelled in that direction, and what must be done to help persons who resist effective integration? Is the lack of more effective integration related to the ineffectieness of the present social organization of the Chinatowns and Chinese communities whose leaders are more intent on preserving the status quo than on realistic change? And finally, the similarities and/or differences can be isolated when studying the settlement of immigrants in a new land.