IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joimai/v19y2018i1d10.1007_s12134-017-0523-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Twilight of Ethnic Identity? Implication of Mixed Ancestries Among Arab Americans

Author

Listed:
  • Kristine J. Ajrouch

    (Eastern Michigan University)

  • Hyoung-jin Shin

    (Kyungpook National University)

Abstract

Utilizing the nationally representative 2010–2014 American Community Survey Public Use Micro Sample data, we examine patterns and determinants of ethnic identity among US-born Arab Americans, an increasingly visible and growing ethnic group in the USA. Specifically, this study examines how various socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors affect the probability of reporting Arab-only and mixed ethnic identities. Applying the tenets of assimilation theory, we identify the multiple pathways of identity found among Arab Americans. Descriptive analysis illustrated about half of Lebanese and Syrians were listed as “mixed” and most of them are mixed with whites. By comparison, more than 70% of Yemenis, Kurdish, Palestinians, and Jordanians indicated an “Arab-only” identity. Logistic regression analysis controlled for key demographics and showed that only two ancestry groups, Lebanese and Syrian, were more likely to be mixed with “whites” if they ever mixed with non-Arabs. Findings uncover the saliency of national origin and key demographics, highlighting factors that encourage the presence of options, as well as showcasing the multiple paths of identity assimilation.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristine J. Ajrouch & Hyoung-jin Shin, 2018. "Twilight of Ethnic Identity? Implication of Mixed Ancestries Among Arab Americans," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 59-73, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:19:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s12134-017-0523-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s12134-017-0523-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12134-017-0523-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12134-017-0523-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reynolds Farley, 1991. "The new census question about ancestry: What did it tell us?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 28(3), pages 411-429, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Charles Hirschman & Richard Alba & Reynolds Farley, 2000. "The meaning and measurement of race in the U.S. census: Glimpses into the future," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(3), pages 381-393, August.
    2. F. D. Wilson, "undated". "Metropolitan Labor Markets and Ethnic Niching: Introduction to a Research Project," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1204-00, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    3. Brian Duncan & Stephen J. Trejo, 2009. "Ancestry versus ethnicity: the complexity and selectivity of Mexican identification in the United States," Research in Labor Economics, in: Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, pages 31-66, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    4. Brian Duncan & Stephen J. Trejo, 2017. "The Complexity of Immigrant Generations: Implications for Assessing the Socioeconomic Integration of Hispanics and Asians," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 70(5), pages 1146-1175, October.
    5. Anthony Daniel Perez & Charles Hirschman, 2009. "The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the US Population: Emerging American Identities," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 35(1), pages 1-51, March.
    6. Richard Alba & Tariqul Islam, 2009. "The Case of the Disappearing Mexican Americans: An Ethnic-Identity Mystery," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 28(2), pages 109-121, April.
    7. Guang Guo & Yilan Fu & Hedwig Lee & Tianji Cai & Kathleen Mullan Harris & Yi Li, 2014. "Genetic Bio-Ancestry and Social Construction of Racial Classification in Social Surveys in the Contemporary United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(1), pages 141-172, February.
    8. Jen’nan Ghazal Read & Scott M. Lynch & Jessica S. West, 2021. "Disaggregating Heterogeneity among Non-Hispanic Whites: Evidence and Implications for U.S. Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 40(1), pages 9-31, February.
    9. Delia Furtado, 2009. "Cross-nativity marriages and human capital levels of children," Research in Labor Economics, in: Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, pages 273-296, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    10. Brian Duncan & Stephen J. Trejo, 2007. "Ethnic Identification, Intermarriage, and Unmeasured Progress by Mexican Americans," NBER Chapters, in: Mexican Immigration to the United States, pages 229-268, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Rogelio Saenz & Sean-Shong Hwang & Benigno Aguirre, 1994. "In Search of Asian war brides," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 31(3), pages 549-559, August.
    12. Douglas S. Massey, 2018. "Finding the Lost Generation: Identifying Second-Generation Immigrants in Federal Statistics," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 677(1), pages 96-104, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:19:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s12134-017-0523-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.