MICROPOLIS: Are Ethnic Enclaves Bad for Immigrants?
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
WNYC
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Those in ethnic enclaves like Chinatown in Manhattan benefit from strong social networks but are less likely to learn English.
(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Ethnic enclaves are among the jewels of New York — places where
the city's immigrants can ease their way into American life while
holding onto aspects of the old country. And of course, for outsiders,
opportunities to get the "most authentic" dumplings/kababs/tamales. But
in some cases there's a serious downside: they stifle English
proficiency and limit opportunities to climb the economic ladder.
"I think that in terms of the ability to speak English, ethnic
enclaves are not good," said Brigitte Waldorf, a professor at Purdue
University who has co-authored a paper on the enclave effect.
Waldorf's research suggested that a 35-year-old woman from China — married, living in the U.S. for five years, earning $25,000 a year, and without a high school degree — had a 28 percent chance of knowing English if she were the only Chinese speaker in a given neighborhood. But if she were to live in a Chinese enclave — say, 10 percent Chinese — the likelihood that she would speak English would drop dramatically: to 13.6 percent.
It matters, she argued, because English is "an absolute must in American society in order to be fully integrated."
And it's not just immigrants themselves. As we explore in this episode of Micropolis, kids who are raised in certain enclaves are less likely to succeed in life.
Waldorf's research suggested that a 35-year-old woman from China — married, living in the U.S. for five years, earning $25,000 a year, and without a high school degree — had a 28 percent chance of knowing English if she were the only Chinese speaker in a given neighborhood. But if she were to live in a Chinese enclave — say, 10 percent Chinese — the likelihood that she would speak English would drop dramatically: to 13.6 percent.
It matters, she argued, because English is "an absolute must in American society in order to be fully integrated."
And it's not just immigrants themselves. As we explore in this episode of Micropolis, kids who are raised in certain enclaves are less likely to succeed in life.
Editors:
Karen FrillmannMore in:
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Arun Venugopal
Arun Venugopal is a reporter and the creator of Micropolis, WNYC’s multi-platform series examining race, sexuality, religion, street life and other issues that define New York City. He has been with the station since 2005, and has covered a wide range of stories, including the death of Sean Bell, the controversy over the Park 51 mosque and community center and Occupy Wall Street .
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