Trends in Ethnic Identification Among Second-Generation Haitian Immigrants in New York City

(Hardback)

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The author conducted extensive interviews with both first- and second- generation immigrants in New York City, revealing that second-generation Haitian immigrants do not have one single identity. Rather, they exhibit multiple identities that are shaped by both the American realities and the home and familial context. The author describes in detail the various macro and micro factors that account for this great variation in ethnic identification, and discusses the implications of these identity choices for American society at large. Unlike their parents, who do not consider themselves American but rather birds of passage and who, additionally, because of their distinctive foreign accents, are not perceived to be American, the children of Haitian immigrants have the option of being less ethnic. In fact, they are very often seen by others as merely American. In light of this distinction, the central questions posed in the present study are the following: Are Haitian families successful at passing on to their offspring the same ethnic feelings, identification, culture, and values How do their children choose to define themselves Do they consider themselves American, or more specifically, African American Is being ethnic important to their self image In what way does the home environment influence their ethnic choices What role do the American realities that surround them play in shaping Haitian youth identity What are the manifestations and implication of these identifies

Reviews

"Flore Zephir has written a ground breaking, touching, and sobering account of the young adult children of Haitian immigrants in New York City. This is a valuable, multi-disciplinary, nuanced and well written study of a very important topic....This superb book should be required reading not only for anyone interested in Haitian Americans, but also for all who are interested in American immigration, American race relations or the future of American cities."-Mary C. Waters Professor of Sociology and Harvard College Professor Harvard University
"This careful and passionate study builds excitingly on Zephir's earlier work on language and identity among Haitian Americans. Rooted in transitional realitites, a thorough grasp of widely varied secondary literatures and inventive ethnographic research, Trends in Ethnic Identification is uncompormising in its insistence on seeing intergenerational relations in the immigrant community in their fullest complexity. Zephir brilliantly shows how children of the migration preserve, adapt and deny Haitian culture, in dialogue with elders, African American youth and powerful institutions. A first-rate work of truly interdisciplinary scholarship."-David R. Roediger Babcock Chair of History University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
.,."an ethnographically rich account of issues of acculturation and identity faced by the children of Haitian immigrants and refugees in New York City."-Journal of American Ethnic History
...an ethnographically rich account of issues of acculturation and identity faced by the children of Haitian immigrants and refugees in New York City.-Journal of American Ethnic History
[T]he United States has always been and continues to be a "working experiment" in immigration. Though many social researchers have addressed a variety of black immigrants' experiences, some have done so with distinction. Among the scholars on that impressive list is Phil Kasinitz, Mary Waters, Alejandro Portes, and Ruben Rumbaut. As a result of this book, Flore Zephir should be added to the list....Intellectually and experientially, Zephir knows this community. Studying an ethnic group to which one belongs has distinct advantages, and she has managed to capitalize on all of them. Of course, studying a group to which one belongs has some serious pitfalls, but Zephir has successfully managed to avoid them....This book will be of interest to students, scholars, and policy makers grappling with the issues of race, immigration, socioeconomic status, and language...[a]lso useful for larger audiences interested in a compeling story.-American Journal of Sociology
In bringing to light the stories of the children of Haitian immigrants, the book points to the need for furthur research on identity formation but also on the new dynamics of race, class and gender relations in the United States.-International Migration Review
"The United States has always been and continues to be a "working experiment" in immigration. Though many social researchers have addressed a variety of black immigrants' experiences, some have done so with distinction. Among the scholars on that impressive list is Phil Kasinitz, Mary Waters, Alejandro Portes, and Ruben Rumbaut. As a result of this book, Flore Zephir should be added to the list....Intellectually and experientially, Zephir knows this community. Studying an ethnic group to which one belongs has distinct advantages, and she has managed to capitalize on all of them. Of course, studying a group to which one belongs has some serious pitfalls, but Zephir has successfully managed to avoid them....This book will be of interest to students, scholars, and policy makers grappling with the issues of race, immigration, socioeconomic status, and language...also useful for larger audiences interested in a compeling story."-American Journal of Sociology
..."an ethnographically rich account of issues of acculturation and identity faced by the children of Haitian immigrants and refugees in New York City."-Journal of American Ethnic History
"In bringing to light the stories of the children of Haitian immigrants, the book points to the need for furthur research on identity formation but also on the new dynamics of race, class and gender relations in the United States."-International Migration Review
"[T]he United States has always been and continues to be a "working experiment" in immigration. Though many social researchers have addressed a variety of black immigrants' experiences, some have done so with distinction. Among the scholars on that impressive list is Phil Kasinitz, Mary Waters, Alejandro Portes, and Ruben Rumbaut. As a result of this book, Flore Zephir should be added to the list....Intellectually and experientially, Zephir knows this community. Studying an ethnic group to which one belongs has distinct advantages, and she has managed to capitalize on all of them. Of course, studying a group to which one belongs has some serious pitfalls, but Zephir has successfully managed to avoid them....This book will be of interest to students, scholars, and policy makers grappling with the issues of race, immigration, socioeconomic status, and language...[a]lso useful for larger audiences interested in a compeling story."-American Journal of Sociology

Author Bio

FLORE ZPHIR is Associate Professor, Dept. of Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Missouri-Columbia.