9.7: Space Makes Race

Geographers like to argue that “space makes race” because spatial processes are ultimately responsible for the emergence of racial and ethnic categories. In the early history of humankind, there were no ethnicities. Everyone belonged to a single, very small group. Consider for example that the Chinese character for “China” also means “middle” or “center”. This symbol suggests that the Chinese, like many other ancient civilizations, thought of themselves as the center of the world; they were “the people”. As our species ventured out of Africa, languages evolved, multiple religions were established and humans’ bodies changed in response to random mutations, as well as changes in climate and environment. For millennia, humans’ inability to move quickly across the globe, to meet and breed with people from distant lands created, then maintained regional differences in our appearances, as well as the varied cultural practices that today mark the myriad ethnic identities.

Figure 9-11: The Chinese character for China is a stylized world globe.

The Age of Exploration (15^th-17^th centuries) began a process of moderating the effects of space, and perhaps began eliminating the “races”. Today the erasure of space continues to accelerate with improvements in transportation, but imagine what would happen if someone invented an app that could instantly transport you to any spot on the planet, thus removing the friction of distance from our lives. If everyone had that app, within a few generations, racial and ethnic intermarriage would accelerate rapidly and the regional differences in our appearance and cultural ways would begin to fade. A single world language would begin to emerge. Perhaps a single world religion would begin to emerge as well. Maybe, we would begin to think of ourselves as earthlings or Terrans, rather than “Americans”, “Germans”, “Chinese”, etc. Or maybe not. Perhaps there is some psychological reason compelling humans to think of themselves as part of some group, or at the very least, to identify groups to which we are not a member.

Figure 9-12: Reseda, CA: This sign advertises a variety of ethnic-based businesses. Cultural hybridity and new ethnic identities are possible in neighborhoods such as this one.

Acculturation and Assimilation

When ethnic minorities live among a larger “host” population, they tend to begin to adapt to the beliefs and practices of the larger group. This process is called acculturation. Intermarriage is the most effective means by which ethnic groups become members of the host culture, or assimilate into the dominant or host culture. Barriers to intermarriage among peoples of different European ethnicities have been generally lower than for those seeking a union between a European-American and a person whose ancestors were from elsewhere. For many years, in the US, anti-miscegenation laws against interracial marriages made it more difficult for minority groups to assimilate.

In the absence of legal or cultural barriers to intermarriage, time, and distance factor into how quickly and completely migrant families assimilate. After a few generations, most immigrant groups fully integrate into American culture, especially if the distance between the ancestral country of origin is great, making it difficult for migrants to remain connected to ancestral ways.

Figure 9-13: Location unknown - This soccer jersey features the colors and symbols of both the US and Mexico, in recognition of the transnational identities held closely by many Mexican-Americans living in both the US and Mexico. Source: MLS. (dead link)

Cheap international travel and even cheaper digital connections (TV, internet) have made it possible for migrants to retain connections to distant places, creating in some persons transnational identities. Transnationalism may arise when an immigrant either chooses not to assimilate; and/or is discouraged from assimilating by the host group. It is interesting to observe the rooting interests of recent immigrant groups during the Olympics and/or the World Cup soccer tournament. These events provide a window into the processes affecting identity construction and maintenance. Though not always a reliable measure of national identity, most fully assimilated Americans who identify simply as “American” would have trouble cheering for any country other than the United States in a contest involving Americans.

MEXICO -CANADA - UNITED STATES – FOOD AND ETHNICITY

There’s a well-circulated speech by Mexican-American essayist Richard Rodriguez in which he compares the assimilation strategies pursued by the United States and its neighbors to the north and south. Rodriguez offers a compelling look into three competing strategies for understanding and managing ethnic differences in North America.

Rodriguez points out that Mexico has largely realized the American dream of becoming a true melting pot. Racial minorities in Mexico are not very visible. Several million indigenous people live in Mexico for sure; the Nahua, Mayans, and Zapotecs come to mind, and there is a small population of Afro-Mexicans as well, but their experience has been different from equivalent groups in the US. The main difference between the US and Mexico was that in Mexico there were far higher rates of intermarriage between Europeans (Spaniards), the native population, and Africans. The host culture of Mexico is thoroughly mixed. Rodriguez likened this mixing to the process of making a good burrito: a lot of ingredients rolled up into a single creation. In Mexico, the host culture would have trouble aggressively discriminating against any of its constituent elements. As a result, Mexican identity and culture are more cohesive, happier because it is more monolithic than the multi-ethnic US.

Rodriguez points out that Canada, a country known for its typically genial multi-national culture, has become a welcoming place for immigrants because Canadians celebrate diversity and respect the rights of all who come to Canada to maintain their identity. As a result, Canada has had little of the racialized strife marking US history. Of course, some French-speaking Canadians have argued for secession, but it was handled in an orderly, democratic fashion (and rejected twice). The Canadians have pursued a national assimilation strategy just the opposite of the one used in Mexico. As a result, the Canadian strategy has also perhaps undermined the growth of a solid, singular national identity in Canada. Short of perhaps a common love of hockey and beer, it’s hard to think of what makes Canadians “Canadian”. Rodriguez notes that you will never be asked to go out to a Canadian restaurant. The lack of a widely embraced Canadian cuisine, Rodriguez argues, is because Canada never experienced the robust cultural hybridization of the type one finds in the US and Mexico. Without cultural hybridization, novel, creative cultural practices are starved of one important evolutionary pathway.

Figure 9-14: Poutine is one of the few identifiable dishes to emerge from Canada, a sign that cultural hybridization is under developed in this multi-ethnic society. Source: Wikimedia.

See: The Invention of Hispanics and the Reinvention of America

The United States has pursued, to some degree, both the Mexican and the Canadian models described by Rodriguez above. Many of the nationalities that migrated to the US have assimilated in true melting pot fashion, but others have not for a variety of reasons. There is some pressure for immigrant groups to do so, to act “like Americans” or to adopt “American” ways, cultures, and traditions. On the other hand, Americans are regularly encouraged to respect the diversity of the many dozens of ethnicities that constitute the American “salad bowl”. The result has been complicated. Neither Mexico, nor Canada has had the sort of ethnic tension, riots, and violence that the US has seen, but neither of America’s neighbors has spawned the sort of cultural innovations the US has become well known for: rock n’ roll, rap and jazz; airplanes, light bulbs and movie theaters; football, basketball, and skateboarding.

Figure 9-15: Los Angeles, CA - The Kogi Burrito mixes Korean and Mexican culinary practices. It is an outstanding example of the complexities associated with ethnic identity, cultural hybridization and how foodways mark ethnicity.