Will assimilation for contemporary immigrants be segmented? After examining
the evidence and arguments presented by both sides, and using information from
chapter 10 and previous chapters, which side of the debate seems more
credible? Why? What are the implications of this debate? What will the United
States look like in the future if assimilation is segmented? How will the future
change if assimilation follows the “traditional” pathway? Which of these scenarios
is more desirable for immigrant groups? For society as a whole? For various
segments of U.S. society (e.g., employers, labor unions, African Americans,
consumers, the college educated, the urban underclass)?