Immigrants and the American Dream: Remaking the Middle Class
Editorial Reviews
Review
"In Immigrants and the American Dream, Clark eschews the well-trod intellectual paths that lead in one direction to a facile celebration of American exceptionalism and in the other to a bleak pessimism concerning the rigidities of American racism. His realist account of contemporary mobility opportunities challenges much existing scholarship about the new immigration. This book opens the way to an appreciation of the complexities of immigrant incorporation at the beginning of the 21st century."--Richard Alba, Department of Sociology, University at Albany, State University of New York
"Immigrants and the American Dream presents compelling evidence that most immigrants are adapting slowly but successfully to this country. Clark's analyses of recent economic and social data are done with great care and thought, and he discusses fully the inconsistencies and complexities in his findings. The most persuasive, authoritative, and comprehensive book yet on this important topic."--James P. Allen, Department of Geography, California State University, Northridge
"Clark gives us a preview of the future of the American middle class (an eighth of which is already composed of immigrant households), as well as a report on how immigrants are doing in the economy and the polity. He makes deft use of a wide range of techniques and perspectives: the cohort approach of the demographer, the sense of place and spatial variation of the geographer, and the journalist's appreciation for an illustrative story. The book deals with a range of questions about immigrant 'incorporation'--the issues of assimilation that will shape American society--without getting bogged down in the normative arguments about who should assimilate to whom. Readers are cured of the temptation to generalize about the immigrant experience in modern America: different groups in different states are making the transition at very different speeds. Because post-1965 immigration so profoundly affects the whole landscape, this book will be a useful addition to courses in economics, sociology, and postwar U.S. history, not just immigration studies narrowly conceived."--John Haaga, Domestic Programs, Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC
"Clark offers a timely look at how the latest 'new Americans' realize the promise of an open society. He charts the pathways and personal attainments of contemporary immigrants joining the middle class, as well as the distinctive experiences of particular ethnic groups. By updating our understanding of today's fluid class structure, the book is a natural addition to courses on contemporary American society. For home builders, advertisers, and others who would target this emerging market segment, Clark's exhaustive analysis of census data furnishes useful insights into this expanding new generation of middle-class consumers."--Peter A. Morrison, Labor and Population Program, RAND
"Arguments over immigration often diverge into simple binary accounts of whether or not immigrants will 'make it.' Clark develops a cautiously optimistic median position, describing varying middle-class possibilities for U.S. newcomers. Carefully analyzing recent data on country of origin, location, occupation, homeownership, and other factors, Clark finds that a surprisingly large number of immigrants are attaining a middle-class life. Through this account, he joins a growing group of scholars who are rethinking immigrant assimilation processes in the United States. The writing is clear and the illustrations are elegant. This book is essential reading for immigration scholars and researchers interested in class formation."--Richard A. Wright, Department of Geography, Dartmouth College
Immigrants and the American Dream: Remaking the Middle Class,William A. V. Clark,The Guilford Press,157230880X,Earth Sciences - Geography,Emigration & Immigration,Immigrants,Middle class,Social Science,Sociology,Sociology - General,United States,Immigration & emigration,Science / Geography,Social classes,USA
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