Cultural Assimilation

The term assimilation (verb assimilate) describes a process of adjustment that a person goes through in order to adapt to a foreign environment (cf. Duden). The person thus gives up part of his identity and adapts. Cultural assimilation describes a process in which a person largely gives up his or her cultural background in order to internalize the cultural traditions and values of the new social environment (cf. IKuD). The goal is that at the end of the process there are no longer any cultural differences between the person and the society to which he or she is adapting.

Theoretical roots

The most important theory of assimilation, which is still recognized today, was established by Milton M. Gordon in 1964. Although he developed his theory on the basis of the American example, he worked on it in such a way that it could be applied to other cases as well. He divides the process into seven stages:

1. cultural assimilation
2. structural assimilation
3. marital assimilation
4. identification map assimilation
5. assimilation by adoption of attitudes
6. assimilation by adopting behaviors
7. assimilation as a full citizen

However, this theory continues to be differentiated and further researched by various scholars. Other significant proponents include James H. Sidanius and Milton Yinger (see Wikipedia).

The term comes from immigration policy, where it usually describes the process of assimilation of a cultural minority into a majority. This process can be gradual or very rapid, depending on the circumstances of the group.

It is often noted that it is important that the group to be assimilated be as small as possible to avoid the formation of a mosaic society.

Cultural Assimilation in Practice

From 1800 to 1900, it was an explicit goal of the Canadian government to forcibly assimilate aboriginal peoples in order to eradicate their culture. Since then, however, the focus has changed and nowadays, as in many other modern countries, is on the integration of cultures. In this process, unlike cultural assimilation, the cultural roots of a minority are preserved and respected (see CAID 2018).

Literature

Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure Developments (2018): http://caid.ca/Dassimilation_policy.html.

Chegg, Study: https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/assimilation-49.

Duden, Assimilation: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Assimilation.

Inter- Culture and Didactics, IKuD: Assimilation: https://www.ikud.de/glossar/kulturelle-assimilation.html.

ScienceDirect, Cultural Assimilation: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/cultural-assimilation.

YouTube; TEDx Talks: The Role of Cultural Assimilation | Supreet Thiara & Gurleen Kaur | TEDxMoreauCatholicHS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHj4ilB62xQ&feature=youtu.be.

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_assimilation, https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assimilation_(Sociology).