Real-world Examples Of Assimilation, Integration, And Marginalization 

As our world becomes more globalized, interacting with the world has acted as a vessel to bring different cultures closer through colonization, migration, or cultural exchange. Social, political, and economic powers always affect and influence their forms. When we talk about how cultures interact with each other, three critical concepts emerge: assimilation, integration, and marginalization. 

These terms refer to different kinds of experiences related to transitioning into and assimilation into the culture and society and are pivotal in understanding how society incorporates diversity and accommodates perceived antisocial and divergent behaviors. This blog will explore the definitions, differences, and real-world examples of assimilation, integration, and marginalization and their implications in present-day society.

Assimilation: Fitting in with the Mainstream Culture

Assimilation is when individuals or groups with a minority culture adopt a dominant culture’s customs, values, and behaviors, losing their original cultural identity. Assimilation usually seeks to have any minority group melt into the background of the majority, so much so that they lose a lot (if not all) of their distinct cultural traits. It is not a two-way street where the majority culture feels the need to bend to the ways of the minority, but rather the other way around.

American Culture

Many immigrants to the U.S. are expected to assimilate into the American culture, giving up some cultural practices in exchange for one of American identity. For instance, immigrants used to be overtly urged to assimilate into the English language and Western cultural practices in the manner of dress and behaving to “fit in” into American society. It was especially stressed in the late 19th and early 20th century, as the U.S. was being inundated with immigrants.

Canadians and Australians

Both Canada and Australia have Indigenous peoples who saw themselves being lost through attempted assimilation into the mainstream Eurocentric population. Canada’s government set up residential schools for Indigenous children, where they had to forsake their languages, traditions, and religions for Western norms. Then, in Australia, policies , including the Stolen Generations, compelled Aboriginal children to be forcibly taken from their parents in hopes that they would be indoctrinated into white society.

Implications of Assimilation

While some may argue that assimilation promotes social cohesion and integration, the truth is that it can also lead to the loss of unique cultural practices and beliefs, as minority groups are pressured to abandon their traditions, languages, and identities in favor of those of the dominant culture. Although some people pursue this route for economic, social, or survival reasons, the consequences can be feelings of alienation, identity loss, and cultural erasure. As such, assimilation can be viewed as an assimilation of power, where the cultural norms and values of the dominant group are maintained as superior.

Integration: Living and Adapting Together

In contrast with assimilation, integration is a form of cultural merging in which the original culture remains while participating in the larger, continued society. Integration is a two-way street, where minority and majority cultures influence each other, allowing both to adapt to coexist and respect each other. The goal is not for the minority group to abandon its cultural identity but to discover a method of cohabiting in a multicultural society where varied cultures exist.

Multiculturalism in Canada

How Canada Is an Example of Multiculturalism—Canada is consistently referenced as an ideal model for integration. The country has adopted multiculturalism as its national policy, acknowledging and embracing the different cultures contributing to the population. It is encouraged that immigrants keep their cultural traditions and contribute to the country’s economic and social life. In cities such as Toronto and Vancouver, people of different ethnic backgrounds live alongside their neighbors, speak multiple languages, and continue their cultural practices through the lens of Canadian society.

European Union (EU) and Immigration

Many European countries have struggled to integrate immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, from areas such as the Middle East and Africa over the past few years. By contrast, countries like Germany and Sweden have attempted to incorporate immigrants into their social and economic fabric via language courses, cultural orientation, and chances to work. More effort is required, however, to address the discrimination, inequality, and cultural tension that still exist while working toward integration.

Implications of Integration

Integration does help preserve cultural diversity, contributing to a more diverse society. It recognizes the significance of various cultural perspectives while aiming for social unity and collaboration. However, it will be difficult to form a new society again, especially if the dominant society is resistant to change or if there are deep-seated prejudices that cause distrust. Achieving successful integration is not easy; it demands respect, understanding, and commitment from minority and majority groups.

Marginalization: Exclusion from Mainstream Society

Marginalization is the process through which specific individuals or groups are pushed to the edges of society and denied access to resources, opportunities, and social participation. This type of categorical division — by race, ethnicity, sex, class, and even disability, leads to a similar feeling of sometimes being socially isolated and socially impotent. In contrast to assimilation and integration, which connote partial degrees of involvement with the mainstream culture, marginalization is understood as being pushed outside the boundaries of a society’s social, political, and economic core.

African Americans in the United States

Throughout the history of the United States, African Americans were not given equal rights, which ultimately led to segregation and discrimination. While slavery was abolished and the Civil Rights Movement worked to eradicate segregation, racism, and discrimination against people of color, many African Americans remain disenfranchised and face barriers in education, employment, and criminal justice. And yet, many people from this group remain marginalized and fail to participate in American society due to structural inequalities fully.

Romani Communities In Europe

The Romani people (commonly known as Gypsies) have long been a marginalized group across Europe. They face discrimination, poverty, and lack of access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. The Roma community in Europe is still considered an outcast in many countries across the continent, and their cultural practices are often seen with suspicion or scorn.

The Implications of Marginalization

The impacts of marginalization can be felt devastatingly at both individual and community levels. Marginalized people are most likely to be poor, under-educated, unhealthy, and unable to break out of poverty or make it up the social ladder. Such exclusion can perpetuate cycles of disadvantage and can exacerbate social inequalities. For instance, this sense of not belonging might be responsible for the alienation and low self-respect faced by different marginalized classes that are byproducts of not being accepted in society.

Comparing and Contrasting Assimilation, Integration, and Marginalization

Aspect	Assimilation	Integration	Marginalization
Definition	The process of adopting the dominant culture at the expense of one’s own cultural identity.	A mutual process where both minority and dominant cultures adapt and coexist.	The exclusion or relegation of certain groups to the margins of society.
Cultural Identity	Minority groups lose or change their cultural identity.	Minority group maintains its cultural identity.	The minority group is excluded from mainstream culture, often losing access to resources.
Social Inclusion	Often leads to full participation in society, but at the cost of one’s cultural heritage.	Allows for participation in society while maintaining cultural differences.	Excludes individuals or groups from full participation in social, economic, or political life.
Examples	Immigrants adopted American culture in the U.S.; Indigenous peoples were forced to adopt European customs.	Multiculturalism in Canada; EU policies to integrate immigrants.	African Americans’ historical marginalization in the U.S.; Roma communities in Europe.
Outcome	Cultural erasure, loss of diversity.	Cultural diversity is maintained while fostering cooperation.	Increased social inequality, exclusion, and limited access to opportunities.

Conclusion: Aspects of Cultural Adjustment and Inclusion

On the other hand, assimilation, integration, and marginalization are pathways through which individuals and groups contextualize their relationship to dominant cultures. Assimilation attempts to erase barriers to the majority, integration offers coexistence, and marginalization robs certain groups of their inclusion in society. By identifying these processes, we can hopefully create more inclusive societies that allow all individuals to participate more fully and equally.

Not only was our last training set imported from Europe until October 2023, but also the dynamics surrounding these concepts in our interdependent world create their own challenges and possibilities, serving as important considerations for policies and practices that foster social justice, equality, and diversity. Exploring these themes allows us to see how societies cope with differences, how power structures influence cultural interactions, and the need to strive for contexts where all can flourish as citizens, regardless of origin.