The Whitening Hypothesis Challenged: Biculturalism in Latino and Non‐Hispanic White Intermarriage

Assimilation theory holds that intermarriage between minorities and non‐Hispanic whites is a gauge of integration and assumes that minorities jettison their ethnic identification in favor of whiteness. Drawing on race relations theory to argue that intermarriage is potentially transformative for non‐Hispanic whites as well as Latinos, this article challenges assimilation theory's bias that minorities (should) undergo cultural change and that non‐Hispanic whites remain unmoved. This article uses in‐depth interviews with Latino and non‐Hispanic white married couples to assess the consequences of ethnic intermarriage from the perspectives of both partners. Interethnic partners engaged in four “ideal types” of biculturalism, running largely contrary to assimilation theory's social whitening hypothesis. Due to boundary blurring, exemplified by affiliative ethnic identity, non‐Hispanic whites can migrate into Latino culture.     

论社会疏离

社会进入加速转型期后在社会生活各个领域内均出现了诸多不能完全调适的社会现象和问题,这是目前社会学界研究的重点问题之一。在加速社会转型和现代型社会建立的过程中,人们更多地关注制度层面和社会结构层面的不调适现象,而在社会群体意识领域也存在着严重的问题,社会疏离就是其中之一。基于一种宏观的社会背景,目前社会疏离变得逐渐清晰。就其成因而论,与文化价值观念、制度变迁难以割舍;而就其解决的路径而论,亦与这两个因素密切相关。     

Building a Bicultural Bridge

ABSTRACT

The balancing act of living between two cultures can have a significant impact on the development of adolescent Latinas living in the United States. Many adolescent Latinas, particularly second generation, live with two sets of cultural values that are often in conflict with one another. This case study illustrates the importance of understanding the impact of acculturation on the individual and the family. Issues of identity, biculturalism, and bilingualism—specifically the phenomenon of language switching—are dismantled in this case study to gain deeper insight into the unique experience that second-generation Latinas undergo when negotiating two cultural orientations. These findings are important to consider when working with the Latino population as they represent one of the largest immigrant groups and the most rapidly growing group in the United States.