This study demonstrates the internal controversy of the white ethnic revival toward the affirmative action policy – white ethnic groups both wished to be included in the categories of this policy and vigorously opposed it. Subsequently, they failed to be proclaimed a designated minority. The study also shows that striving to gain social and economic stability, white ethnic groups used to conform to the Anglo-Saxon standards; however, beginning in the 1970s, ethnic association with whites was perceived hindward. Despite the overall failure of the white ethnic movement, two groups were able to succeed and gain recognition of a designated minority – namely, Italian Americans in CUNY and Hasidic Jews in the MBDA. Both of these cases present examples of religious bigotry excluding groups from enjoying the social benefits. These are unique cases, as traditionally religious discrimination was pushed off the civil rights agenda. For this reason, in their attempts to pursue the “minority” status, both Italian Americans and Hasidic Jews did not emphasize their religion as the main reason for their disadvantaged position. On the contrary, they stressed still-existing prejudice and stereotypes about their ethnicity (Italian Americans) and non-traditional way of life (Hasidic Jews) that served the main reason of their deprived and “socially disadvantaged” status. Moreover, these cases present the irony of the white ethnic revival: while the major current of Italian American and Jewish American civil rights activists argued against affirmative action, Italian American faculty at CUNY and Hasidic Jews did otherwise.

Many Italians characterize their food culture as respectful of tradition, favoring fresh, regional ingredients, prioritizing commensality and the group identity, and treating food as an aesthetic good. Many describe American food culture as one of speed and convenience, favoring quantity over quality, nurturing independence, and regarding food merely as a material good. Through in-depth interviews with a group of Italian Americans, this research explores the intersection between Italian and American food cultures, questioning how Italian Americans living in South Florida construct identity given the influence of the modern food system. Participants demonstrate that while a dichotomy exists between Italian cultural ideals and the reality of everyday life in the South Florida food system, many Italian Americans find ways to incorporate traditional culture into their modern lives. The results of this research offer perspective on the spaces where ethnic groups access the cultural value of food in an increasingly modern world. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

A multi-generational family saga that follows the story of how a one-winged American girl joins family with a four-armed Indian woman.

Thesis (M.A)--Youngstown State University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-121).

This dissertation study focuses on the stories that five Italian American teachers tell about their pathways to the teaching profession. The overarching question of this study is: What happens when the researcher attempts to construct interpretations of how Italian American teachers in New York City describe their pathways to becoming teachers? This question is supplemented by the following related questions and subquestions: How, if at all, do the study participants describe their choices to become teachers within the framing concept of “pathways”? What other ways, if any, do the participants speak of their chosen careers? What framing concepts do they employ, if any, other than “pathways” toward their careers as teachers? How, if at all, do participants describe their “identities” as Italian American teachers within both the confines and the possibilities offered by the concept of pathways? What assumptions and biases does the researcher bring into this study that focuses on Italian American teachers’ descriptions and understandings of their career choices? To interrogate, interrupt, and ultimately respond to these research questions in this multicase study, the researcher conducted open-ended interviews with five Italian American teachers who have taught or currently teach in New York City schools, aiming to explore both personal and culturally relevant histories of these specific Italian American teachers. Using Laurel Richardson’s (2005) creative analytic practices, the researcher aimed to present representations of her own interpretations of the “stories” that these teachers would tell about their specific “pathways” to teaching as Italian American teachers in New York City. The researcher attempted to convey a sense of the multitude of factors that could influence one’s interpretation of “story” by (re)presenting data in the format of pastiche, with textual layers of various voices intertwined. The researcher’s “non-conclusions” included a furthered wondering of her own motivation in choosing to be a creator of a collage-like work, as well as a questioning of her reliance on the metaphor of “pathway” and the original research focus, especially in light of the conversations that ultimately took place. The researcher continues to seek to re-inscribe the focus of this work as a wondering about how to disturb, disrupt, and/or unsettle the category of “Italian American teacher.”

This study examines the impact of white ethnic concentration on robbery and homicide in Chicago and New York City. As one of the first to disaggregate white ethnic populations, this study has the expectation that Italian-American concentration will have a stronger influence on robbery and homicide than any other white ethnic concentrations. This study is founded on prior qualitative research suggesting that the reputation of Italian-Americans influences the behavior of outsiders in their communities. The data show there is a significant and negative relationship between Italian-American concentration and the violent crimes robbery and homicide. This relationship only exists for white ethnic concentration with robbery. These patterns occur across both cities at three different aggregate levels. The results indicate that there may be particular characteristics about Italian-American ethnic concentrations which have dampening effects on the frequency of homicide and robbery in their communities; it is speculated that a reputation for Mafia involvement is one of the protective factors.

No description available.