Cultural Characteristics of Asian American Group

Cultural Characteristics of Asian American Group

In recent years, the growth of Asian –America people, population, and diversification cannot be termed anything short than a phenomenon. Resettlement of refugees in the late 1980s and 1970s contributed immensely to the racial group. Sustained immigration contributed and played an important role in the growth of the population.

According to statistics in 2001, the number of Asian – Americans was more than 12.5 million people in the United States (Kiang, n.d.). This number comprises more than thirty different groups and nationalities and include East Asia (Chinese, Korean and Japanese), Central Asia (Iranian and Afghani), South Asia (Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi), Pacific Island (native Hawai’ian, Samoan, Guamanian, and Tongan), and South Asia ( Mien, Filipinos, Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, Malay, Lao, Vietnamese, Mien and Hmong). The largest nationalities of Asian descent in 2000 in the United States were the Asian Indians, Filipinos, and Chinese. There is a remarkable difference in the Asian American diversities due to their cultures, histories, and various languages. To expound on the diversity of Asian – America, there is a line of difference between people of single nationality due to their religion, their political perspective, and dialect of the region, educational level, and background class and differences based on lifestyle orientation, gender, and generation. Some other factors that additionally lead to Asia – American complexity and diversity include the high number of interracial marriages between the Asian groups. Consequently, the number of multi or biracial Asian Americans children tends to increase and grow. Furthermore, the adoption of thousands of Asian children, Korea in particular, by families in the United States who may not be even Asian – America themselves increases the diversity.

Compared to other U.S racial groups, Asian – American has the highest level of education, and household income median is still toping, surpassing the native-born White Americans. More than half of the Asian Americans who are 25 years and above already hold a bachelor’s degree as compared to the White Americans, Latino/an Americans, and African Americans who have 31%, 13%, and 18%, respectively (Zhou & Lee, 2017).  Asian- Americans also account for 20 % to 40% of the student body in public universities that are prestigious and in Ivy League universities (Is There Such a Thing as Asian Culture? Unveiling Asian American Achievement, 2017). These figures speak a lot.

The rise in their socioeconomic status is assigned to immigration. Most of the immigrants from Asia land in the United States when they are better off with levels that are average in incomes, job skills, and education levels. Some scholars, media, and pundits link Asian American socioeconomic achievement to their traits and cultural characteristics such as placing more values to working hard, family, parenthood and family, successful career development, and marriage. To add on to that, most of them are satisfied and happy with their finances, country direction, and their lives.

Media highlights the success of Asian Americans to be the attainment of their education level. 54% of Asians, 16% of Hispanics, 16% of black, and 36% of black have a bachelor’s degree in the United States. In addition, 21% of Asian Americans possess an advanced degree as compared to whites who have 14%. This is due to the culture of education.  David Brooks, a columnist in The New York Times terms attitude of Chinese towards that aims to “perfect the learning virtues in order to become, ultimately, a sage, which is equally a moral and intellectual state. These virtues include sincerity (an authentic commitment to the task) as well as diligence, perseverance, concentration, and respect for teachers (Joo, Reeves, & Rodrigue, 2016). Kay S. Hymowitz from Brooklyn Chinese Pioneer Magazine points to a “cultural trait that has become a cliché in the model-minority discussion: a zealous focus on education. For Chinese immigrants, education for the next generation is close to a religion”.

Asian Americans, as much as they believe in education, they also believe in hard work. In a survey by National Journal Survey conducted of 1272 people who were more than 18 years, indicated that majority of racial minorities and all ethnic believed that in order to be successful or make it in life, a “four – year college degree” is necessary for young people today, unlike the Asian American who believed that academic success is as a result of working hard, instead of greater skills (Joo, Reeves, & Rodrigue, 2016). Asian America believes in a statement that “work hard pays,” and indeed, for them, it does. According to different statistics, they describe people from their country of origin as hardworking. There is a strong belief in Asian Americans that connects education and effort.

Asian Americans also hold special importance in families. Fifty-four percent of which accounts for more than half hold a belief that among things that are important in life, a successful marriage is one of them. Sixty-seven percent of adults who are Asian American is additionally one of the best things in life. They hold strong values to this, and arrangements align with their living.  Compared to Americans adults, they are more likely to get married. Asian American news is less likely to have an unmarried mother as compared to the United States newborns. Eighty percent of the Asian-American children are likely to be brought up with two married parents, and sixty-three percent of the United States children are likely to be raised by two married parents in a household.

Asian Americans attend better schools. In the United States, they actually inhabit areas that one is likely to get state-level schools with a good performance rate as compared to the blacks and Hispanics. In white, it is more similar. Asians and whites averagely have higher household income as compared to blacks and Hispanics, which attribute it to why they are more likely to afford to live in areas where there are better schools. Research conducted with Jonathan Tannen and Douglas S. Massey indicates that Asians are likely to live in areas that contain property values of the higher median.

Lee and Zhou challenge the culture of success direct opposite head-on. They contend that there is no such as a thing as Asian culture. Or maybe, culture has auxiliary roots. What appears to be common patterns of culture among Asian Americans rise from the basic circumstances of modern immigration. Most conventional research treats Asian America as a single group, but there is a huge difference between Asian American groups. Most of them are economically struggling. Many are battling monetarily; the “Asian” favorable circumstances promoted in the media are a long way from widespread.

To conclude, Asian American society has a solid community sense, and its nature is collectivistic. This and the above-mentioned characteristics shape their relationship with the larger community. In any case, coethnics can only offer assistance for each other inside the limits of their own community assets (Portes & Rumbaut, 1990, 2001). The sort of coethnic community can impact the production of human capital, social and cultural. A few coethnic communities may be more beneficial to recently arriving foreigners as they may give distinctive sorts of data and assets to explore the nation and foreign culture.