A summary of each program is given below. Full transcripts of the programs
follow. Please feel free to further publish or quote this text, with appropriate
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This session addressed the social, cultural, economic and demographic
impact of immigration on New York City. Immigration to the US has always
been considerable and urban-bound. National policies affect the alternatives
available to urban immigrants, but different cities provide different contexts
for immigrant settlement. This session explored how New York City treats
its foreign-born newcomers, the kinds of racial and ethnic negotiations
available to them, and their geographic distribution, among others.
It also examined how immigrants have transformed New York City in the process.
This session considered citizenship issues in the United States. Newly
arrived immigrants are often torn between old loyalties and a desire to
become American. For the most part, the first generation has had difficulties
giving up their original language and culture as a primary source of identity.
The second generation, though, has typically viewed itself as American.
Whether US citizenship requires renouncing old loyalties is itself an open
question. Also, non-citizens frequently participate deeply in public life
in their localities, raising questions about whether they should be permitted
to vote in local elections. What it means to be an American citizen, both
philosophically and in practical terms, and how immigrants negotiate the
complexities of this question, was the focus of discussion in this session.
The large number of refugees, many originating in the developing world,
has caused serious concern in the United States. The ambiguity arises from
a mixture of compassion for the plight of those forced to flee and of fear
of numbers. This session addressed issues arising from the admission and
resettlement of refugees in the US. One focus was on the ethical principles
underlying the provision of safe haven for refugees, and political
dilemmas arising from occasional mass influxes of refugees. Issues such
as the treatment of asylum applicants were also discussed, including lack
of access to legal representation, conditions at detention facilities,
and the often arbitrary results of claim determinations.
Not since the peak years of immigration in the early part of the century
have so many newcomers made their way to the United States. Last year,
close to 1 million immigrants and refugees were legally admitted into the
country. Unlike previous waves of largely European immigrants, current
flows are characterized by a great diversity that is reshaping the nature
of American society. Diverse groups of immigrants also tend to have different
trajectories of social, cultural and political adaptation to American society.
Their economic adaptation also varies, not only in terms of the resources
and skills with which they arrive, but also as a result of specific government
policies, labor market conditions, and characteristics of particular ethnic
communities. This session addressed the social, cultural and economic dimensions
of immigration.
Credits
Hosts:
Utrice Leid, WBAI
Arthur C. Helton, Forced Migration Projects
Discussants: Beverlee Bruce, Social Science Research
Council
Felix Cardona, City University of New York
Hector Cordero-Guzman, New School for Social Research
Muzzafar Chishti, Union of Needle Trades, Industrial and Textile Employees
Philip Kasinitz, CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College
Peter Kwong, CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College
Antonio Maciel, Emma Lazarus Fund – OSI
Annie Wilson, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Producer: Eliana Jacobs, Forced
Migration Projects