First-generation West African
immigrants from Nigeria and Ghana transition smoothly into major
societal institutions, such as the workplace and the neighborhood, but
have not built stable, mutually beneficial friendships and intimate
relationships with native-born Americans, said Northeastern University
professor Mindelyn Buford II.
Speaking at
an interdisciplinary conference, “American Identity in the Age of
Obama,” held last week at Northeastern, the assistant professor of
sociology and African-American studies noted that Nigerian and Ghanaian
immigrants “exhibit patterns of selective acculturation.”
The conference, cosponsored by the Humanities Center and the John D.
O’Bryant African-American Institute, drew scholars from across the
country, who highlighted the role of race, ethnicity and immigration
status in shaping conceptions of what it means to be American.
“There’s not an easy answer to what aspects of American identity have
or have not changed since Obama was elected,” said political science
professor Amilcar Barreto, associate director of the Humanities Center.
“It’s possible that any change is slow in terms of accepting members of
traditionally marginalized groups in society.”
Buford analyzed the socioeconomic and interpersonal assimilation
patterns of 45 Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants who migrated to
Maryland, many of whom sought better jobs and educational opportunities.
She is conducting the research for a book on how class and race shape
highly educated, foreign-born black immigrants’ assimilation
trajectories in the United States.
According to Buford’s study, 73 percent of Nigerian and Ghanaian
immigrants had African Americans in their social networks, including
colleagues, neighbors, significant others and acquaintances in volunteer
organizations. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed had white Americans
in their social networks.
The majority of participants, Buford said, enjoyed their experiences
in the workplace and in the neighborhood, but seldom developed close
relationships with their co-workers or neighbors. More often than not,
for example, Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants developed formal work
relationships that “did not tend to extend outside of the workplace and
work hours.”
“Patterns of integration or isolation among these new immigrants have implications for their self-identity and imposed identification in contemporary U.S. society,” said Buford.
