New Immigrants in Minnesota: The Somali Immigration and Assimilation

Abstract

The paper examines immigration and assimilation processes of Somalis in Minnesota. Does America have an assimilation problem? There are two competing answers to the preceding question: Barone (2001) says “no” because immigrants have always blended. By contrast, Fonte’s (2001) answer is “yes” because today’s assimilating forces are much different than those that prevailed in the early twentieth century. Drawing on African American experiences, Somalis face several challenges: cultural differences, English Language, racism, social and economic inequalities. Additionally, African immigrants, generally, have difficulty grasping the concept of race in America because everyone is identified by the skin-color rather than by their nationality. Therefore, racial and cultural backgrounds can complicate the process of assimilation for Somalis. Arguably, there is a relationship between immigration and assimilation.