Italian American
Subtitle: the racializing of an ethnic identity
By: David A.J. Richards.
Publisher: New York University Press
Published: 1999
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 273
Subjects: Italian Americans -- Cultural assimilation; Italian Americans -- Ethnic identity; Americanization; Racism -- Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 19th century; Racism -- Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century; Constitutional history -- United States; Constitutional history -- Italy; Constitutional history -- Europe; United States -- Emigration and immigration -- History; Italy, Southern -- Emigration and immigration -- History
Description: "The first study of its kind, Italian American explores the acculturation process of Italian immigrants in terms of then-current patterns of European and American racism. Delving into the political and legal context of flawed liberal nationalism both in Italy (the Risorgimento) and the United States (Reconstruction Amendments), Richards examines why Italian Americans were so reluctant to influence depictions of themselves and their own collective identity.

He argues that American racism could not have had the durability or political power it has had either in the popular understanding or in the corruption of constitutional ideals unless many new immigrants, themselves often regarded as racially inferior, had been drawn into accepting and supporting many of the terms of American racism."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-257) and index.