Abstract
Economic Mobility and Cultural Assimilation Among Children of Immigrants expands the idea of segmented assimilation theory for immigrants and their descendants. In the beginning of the book, Caroline Faulkner gives a historiography of assimilation theory. Scholars began to use the term assimilation theory (what is now known as classical assimilation theory) in order to study the assimilation patterns of European immigrants in the early twentieth century. Classical assimilation theory states that all immigrants will assimilate into mainstream American society and move up into the American middle class. This mobility is dependent upon mainstream assimilation and may take longer for some immigrants than others depending on their speed of assimilation. Segmented assimilation theory states that immigrants do not always assimilate and move upwards in society. They either assimilate and move upwards, semi-assimilate and move upwards, or do not assimilate at all and never move upwards. Assimilation is dependent on the immigrant, his or her environment, and reaction to that environment.
Utilizing quantitative methodology, Faulkner broadens aspects of segmented assimilation theory. She found that immigrant assimilation and mobility is intergenerational and intragenerational, thus acknowledging the individuality of assimilation and that immigrant assimilation and mobility can affect the descendants of immigrants. Within the intergenerational and intragenerational framework, Faulkner discovered the importance of life course stage, assimilation starting points, and gender. Taking these factors into account, a commonality for the most stable upward mobility was semi-assimilation. Semi-assimilated immigrants and their descendants were able to maneuver within the family’s native culture as well as the American mainstream culture.