Isolation and Incorporation:

The Lives of Hispanic Immigrants in Asheville,

North Carolina

Isolation and Incorporation:

The Lives of Hispanic Immigrants in Asheville,

North Carolina

Matthew George3 May 2005

IntroductionIntroduction

Original interestMeeting migrants in Mexico

What is life like for Hispanic immigrants in Asheville?

Coping strategies Methods of adaptation

MethodsMethods Formal interviews (in Spanish) and participant

observation 3 sites

International LinkHispanic Pentecostal ChurchHispanic restaurant

Five primary informants (all names changed) Limits of generalization

Hispanic Immigrants in Asheville: Who Are They?

Hispanic Immigrants in Asheville: Who Are They?

Asheville is 3.8% Hispanic

2.2% Mexican, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.1% Cuban, and 1.2% Other Hispanic or Latino

(2000 Census)

More males than females

Hispanics in Asheville, 2000

1,488

830

76

195

Mexican

Puerto Rican

Cuban

Other Hispanic orLatino

Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion

1. Temporary Labor Immigrants: Isolation and Individualism

2. The Social Function of the Church and its Implications for Immigrant Incorporation

3. Permanent Hispanic Immigrants: Two Case Studies

Temporary Labor Immigrants: Isolation and Individualism

Temporary Labor Immigrants: Isolation and Individualism

Limited human capital Enter labor market

Outside ethnic enclaveLittle mobility

Goal orientedSend money home

Temporary Immigrants, cont’dTemporary Immigrants, cont’d

Social IsolationSmall Hispanic communityRarely speak EnglishStigma

Immersion in work“60, 80, 100 hours per week”Allocate little energy to building social network

Temporary Immigrants, cont’dTemporary Immigrants, cont’d Fatalistic outlook on life

Distrust of othersNo alternative to lifelong hard work

Rafael: Well, (laughs) I don't really like it.

Pablo: We're not here to enjoy ourselves. We're here because of the necessity that we have.

Matthew: If you could be anywhere, where would it be?

Pablo: It doesn't matter. What matters is the work.

Temporary Immigrants, cont’dTemporary Immigrants, cont’d Individualistic coping

strategies They talked about work.

There’s work everywhere, Ignacio [the Honduran] said. Here, there, everywhere, you just have to be intelligent to find it. One of the younger Mexican women said, “All I have is these,” and she pointed to her hands and to her head.

The Social Function of the Church and its Implications for Immigrant Incorporation

The Social Function of the Church and its Implications for Immigrant Incorporation

“A Bridge Between Cultures” (Mol 1971:70)

A church of “winners,” of people “who intend to compete.” (Berryman

1999:30) Success in the labor market promotes integrationWorldview contrasts with isolated labor immigrants Evangelism promotes inclusiveness

Moral IsolationMoral Isolation The pastor told a strange

story to his congregation, saying, “I smoke the best marijuana around. A guy asked me where I got it. Who was selling? I told him, this marijuana is from the best source. My drug is the Bible,” and he held up the Bible jauntily.

Strict moral code condemns vice

Reactive identity

Permanent Hispanic Immigrants:Two Case Studies

Permanent Hispanic Immigrants:Two Case Studies

Human Capital ImmigrantsArrive with greater amounts of human capitalEnter professional labor market outside the ethnic enclave“Do not present a problem for the host society and they are easily acculturated and eventually assimilated” (Heisler 1992)

Gloria, a South American School TeacherGloria, a South American School Teacher

Experience determined by type of labor market incorporation

Married an American professional before she had been in Asheville two yearsFound a job as a Spanish teacherWorking on her Master’s Degree

Permanent Labor ImmigrantsPermanent Labor Immigrants Arrive with few sources of human capital Enter secondary labor market outside the ethnic enclave Risk of exposure to negative elements of U.S. culture Formation of linkages with U.S. society (Chavez

1991)

Establishing a familyHaving children in the U.S.Obtaining citizenshipLearning English

Ignacio, a Honduran LaborerIgnacio, a Honduran Laborer

Has lived and worked unskilled jobs in Asheville for 7 years

Obtained citizenship Married an American woman and had a child Values friendship more and work less than

temporary labor immigrants Still plans to move back to Honduras with family

ConclusionConclusion Temporary immigrants

socially isolated Immersed in workIndividualistic coping strategies and fatalistic outlook

The Pentecostal Church encourages both financial incorporation and moral segregationLook forward to improvement through faith and hard work

Permanent immigrants More opportunities to make social connectionsLabor market incorporation influences their social and economic experience

Questions?Questions?

Thank you

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

All who contributed their time and stories Geri and Lule at International Link Dr. Ben Feinberg Dr. Siti Kusujiarti All my friends and family