One Out of Three

Immigrant New York in the Twenty-First Century

Nancy Foner

• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Year: 2013
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9780231535137
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

This absorbing anthology features in-depth portraits of diverse ethnic populations, revealing the surprising new realities of immigrant life in twenty-first-century New York City. Contributors show how nearly fifty years of massive inflows have transformed New York City's economic and cultural life and how the city has changed the lives of immigrant newcomers.

Nancy Foner's introduction describes New York's role as a special gateway to America. Subsequent essays focus on the Chinese, Dominicans, Jamaicans, Koreans, Liberians, Mexicans, and Jews from the former Soviet Union now present in the city and fueling its population growth. They discuss both the large numbers of undocumented Mexicans living in legal limbo and the new, flourishing community organizations offering them opportunities for advancement. They recount the experiences of Liberians fleeing a war torn country and their creation of a vibrant neighborhood on Staten Island's North Shore. Through engaging, empathetic portraits, contributors consider changing Korean-owned businesses and Chinese Americans' increased representation in New York City politics, among other achievements and social and cultural challenges. A concluding chapter follows the prospects of the U.S.-born children of immigrants as they make their way in New York City.

Table of contents

• Cover 
• Half title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents 
• Acknowledgments
• 1. Introduction: Immigrants in New York City in the New Millennium
• 2. A Portrait of New York’s Immigrant Mélange
• 3. Immigration and Economic Growth in New York City
• 4. Soviet Jews: The Continuing Russification of Jewish New York
• 5. Chinese: Diverse Origins and Destinies
• 6. Koreans: Changes in New York in the Twenty-First Century
• 7. Jamaicans: Balancing Race and Ethnicity
• 8. Liberians: Struggles for Refugee Families
• 9. Dominicans: Community, Culture, and Collective Identity
• 10. Mexicans: Civic Engagement, Education, and Progress Achieved and Inhibited
• 11. The Next Generation Emerges
• List of Contributors
• Index