TOWARDS A THEORY OF ETHNIC-IDENTITY AND MIGRATION - THE FORMATION OF ETHNIC ENCLAVES BY MIGRANT GERMANS IN RUSSIA AND NORTH-AMERICA

Authors
Citation
T. Waters, TOWARDS A THEORY OF ETHNIC-IDENTITY AND MIGRATION - THE FORMATION OF ETHNIC ENCLAVES BY MIGRANT GERMANS IN RUSSIA AND NORTH-AMERICA, The International migration review, 29(2), 1995, pp. 515-544
Citations number
88
Categorie Soggetti
Demografy
ISSN journal
01979183
Volume
29
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
515 - 544
Database
ISI
SICI code
0197-9183(1995)29:2<515:TATOEA>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
This article explores the determinants for the maintenance of ethnic i dentity by comparing six groups of migrant Germans. The groups are eig hteenth century German peasants migrating to Volga Russia, thirteenth century migrants to Latvia, seventeenth century bureaucrats and trader s migrating to Moscow/St. Petersburg, eighteenth century peasant migra nts to Pennsylvania, nineteenth century Hutterite migrants to the Nort h American Midwest, and eighteenth century Volga German migrants to th e American Midwest. Notably, three of these groups assimilated into th e host society, while three of them formed ethnic enclaves. Comparison of the six cases indicated that what determined whether individuals c ould move their inheritable economic base. This is because in the immi grant situation it is the inheritable economic base which determines w ho the primary reference group will be.