Title: Italian American
First published: 1999
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.
Subjects: Americanization, Constitutional history, Cultural assimilation, Emigration and immigration, Ethnic identity, History, Italian Americans, Political aspects, Political aspects of Racism, Racism, United states, ethnic relations, Américains d'origine italienne, Acculturation, Identité ethnique, Américanisation, Racisme, Aspect politique, Histoire, Émigration et immigration, Histoire constitutionnelle, SOCIAL SCIENCE, Anthropology, Cultural, Discrimination & Race Relations, Minority Studies
Places: Europe, Italy, Southern Italy, United States
Time periods: 19th century, 20th century
LC classification: E184.I8 R52 1999