Opposite Poles presents a fascinating and complex portrait of ethnic life in America. The focus is Chicago Polonia; the largest Polish community outside of Warsaw. During the 1980s a new cohort of Polish immigrants from communist Poland; including many refugees from the Solidarity movement; joined the Polish American ethnics already settled in Chicago. The two groups shared an ancestral homeland; social space in Chicago; and the common goal of wanting to see Poland become an independent noncommunist nation. These common factors made the groups believe they ought to work together and help each other; but they were more often at opposite poles. The specious solidarity led to contentious conflicts as the groups competed for political and cultural ownership of the community. Erdmans's dramatic account of intracommunity conflict demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between immigrants and ethnics in American ethnic studies. Drawing upon interviews; participant observation in the field; surveys and Polish community press accounts; she describes the social differences between the two groups that frustrated unified collective action. We often think of ethnic and racial communities as monolithic; but the heterogeneity within Polish Chicago is by no means unique. Today in the United States new Chinese; Israeli; Haitian; Caribbean; and Mexican immigrants negotiate their identities within the context of the established identities of Asians; Jews; Blacks; and Chicanos. Opposite Poles shows that while common ancestral heritage creates the potential for ethnic allegiance; it is not a sufficient condition for collective action.
#589376 in Books 2000-12-14Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.51 x 6.00l; 1.75 #File Name: 0271013214544 pages
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Lasted longer but more effectiveBy Sean Patrick Innocent DineenBrazilan racial relations are different; explored and set out. The role of the Catholic Church; is analyzed.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Primary Sources Tell AllBy Kevin RyanThis book is a giant collection of primary sources collected and edited by Robert Conrad pertaining to black slavery in Brazil. We used this book in my Slaves Societies of the Americas history course and it was an invaluable asset to my research. I had learned almost nothing about slavery in Brazil prior to reading this book and it has truly showed me the horrors of the institution of slavery. Having been mostly educated on slavery in the US South; I was shocked to discover that there were vastly more slaves in Brazil and that the Brazilian slavery system lasted practically until 1890. This is a must read for those who wish to gain a better understanding of what slavery in the Americas was truly like.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The best that I have read onBy Brian M. Coffeeslavery in Brazil! This book is very good! It backs everything up with documentation and it shows how cruel of an institution slavery was in Brazil. It also gives the reader a good idea on the scope of slavery in Brazil. 40% of the Africans transported to the new world went to Brazil. This was a country that was totally dependent on African slave labor.
