The United ‘Salad Bowl’ of America

This week covered an incredibly interesting discussion of Karim Karim’s essay on diaspora and the nation. With the increased media opportunities brought about by changes in communications technology, “multiculturalism has seriously challenged the idea of a nation as ethnoculturally homogeneous” (4). Enter the idea of diaspora -- a concept that allows communities of ethnically similar peoples to reside together within another host country, with many cultural identities tying them back to the home land. Strengthened by television programming and online resources, many districts are able to retain their native language, customs, and way of life (11). So we have begun to see a shift in the typical idea of the nation. Instead of E pluribus unum, we are suddenly faced with the kindergarten adage about the United States being a salad bowl of people tossed in together, held together by one government, but perhaps not the same values and attitudes.

This bubble of common communication then reinforces the sense of belonging, and perhaps is exhibited in the way these communities interact with society as a whole. Some embrace their home culture while also absorbing local news and information. Others remain solidly entrenched in their foreign identity and lifestyle.
Combined with the media identifying with different cultures, this creates a reinforcement of stereotypes and the potential for conflict. People go off to their “safe spaces” and never dare to venture out. This can even be seen around the District of Columbia. Take a look at this map from Eric Fischer, who took the 2000 Census data from the DC metro area to show trends in ethnicity in the region: http://dcist.com/2010/09/illustrating_the_districts_racial_d.php. Red is White, blue is Black, green is Asian, orange is Hispanic. (The link is for DCist, but click on the link in the post for a high-res image). It gives you an idea of some diasporas in the area. I find it very interesting, since DC is a very transient city and many people move in and out throughout the years, to see where people choose to settle down.