Book Reviews
| Published date | 01 October 1988 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2435.1988.tb00668.x |
| Date | 01 October 1988 |
Book
Reviews
FONER, N. (Ed.)
New
lrnrnigrunts
in
New
neighborhoods (including the renovation of the
York.
New York: Columbia University Press, local housing stock and the addition to the
1987,
318
pp.,
$
27.50. City's ethnic mosaic of numerous Asian and
ISBN: 0-231-06130-7 SDanish swaking communities): cultural
Anthropologist Nancy Foner, a Professor at the
State UniversityofNew Yorkat Purchaseanda
well known expert on Jamaican emigration
both to England and the United States, has
edited a volume of original essays on new
immigration to New York since the passage of
the 1965
US.
immigration legislation. The
essays combine both a micro and a macro
perspective of immigration. The contributors
are respected specialists on the immigration of
several ethnic groups found in high
concentrations in the New York area. The seven
ethnographic essays focus on the mutual
accommodations necessary between the host
community and the new immigrant groups. The
groups examined are the Dominicans, Haitians
Jamaicans, Vincentians and Grenadans,
Koreans, Chinese and Soviet Jews. Four among
those groups, the Dominicans, Jamaicans,
Chinese and Haitians are the four largest groups
of newcomers to New York City. In addition to
these ethnographic essays, a more general essay
by Helen Kraly sets the stage by discussing how
1965 changes in
U.S.
immigration laws affected
both the size and the ethnic profile of post-1 965
immigration to the United States.
In the introductory essay, the editor outlines at
some length the areas and institutions
on
which
the new emigrant groups have had an impact.
She discusses the impact of immigration on
New York's population structure and points out
that
in
1980, over half of New York's foreign
born population had arrived since 1965, adding
one million new citizens to that City's total
population (and as much as
I
.5
million if illegal
immigration is to be added); the new
immigrants' impact on local communities and
changes (&luding changes in'
'
and the
enrichment of the international cultural
character and the culinary life of the City); and
the numerous challenges which arise as new
immigrants try to develop a system of
relationships with minorities and other
immigrant groups. Of even greater importance,
however, is the editor's discussion ofthe impact
of immigrants on the City's labor force as they
gradually get absorbed into the local economy
simultaneously creating new opportunities and
temporarily displacing and creating numerous
challenges for the City's other workers
--
particularly the disadvantaged.
This is a theme that is explored further in the
essay by Adriana Marshall who notes that
post-I965 immigration to New York has come
in two waves, each with its own distinct impact
on New York economy. Those entering New
York prior to the early 1970s became generally
industrial operatives and occupied semi-skilled
positions in declining manufacturing sectors.
The positions which they occupied had
previously been deserted by American born
workers who had shifted toward the more
attractive service sector jobs. The second wave
of immigrants, however, those coming in the
late seventies and early 1980s, were spreading
throughout the City's economy and were
supplying an increasingly important share
of
manual labor in the New York metropolitan
area. In both instances, new immigration to
New York has served to make industries
utilizing immigrant labor more competitive and
profitable while at the same time leading to a
general deterioration of working conditions and
employment practices and contributing to the
477
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