Unity Is Strength

Unity Is Strength
Author: Markus Bierkoch
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2024-12-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 3111423816

Migration has been one of the most pressing societal issues throughout history. Immigrant associations play a crucial role in understanding this phenomenon. They channel migration streams, influence the assimilation of their members, and serve as representatives of the entire immigrant group in society. However, they remain an understudied subject, particularly in historical research. To address this gap, this study examines German immigrant associations in New York from the 1890s to the 1930s. Through an innovative combination of statistical and textual analyses, it explores the class composition of these associations, their intricate system of mutual aid, and their political activities. This study offers insights into how specific socio-economic motivations influenced immigrant organization and collective action, including aspects such as long-distance nationalism and cross-border ethnic identity. Ultimately, based on these findings, this study demonstrates that immigrant associations played a crucial role in helping their members adapt to a new social and economic environment. Additionally, it shows why and how immigrant associations significantly shaped the image of German immigrants in American social and political life.

Patterns of Social Capital

Patterns of Social Capital
Author: Gene A. Brucker
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2001
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780521785754

Examines voluntary associations, comparatively and cross-culturally, as indicators of citizen readiness for civic engagement.