Discuss the concept of assimilation.

Discuss the concept of assimilation.

Assimilation is the result of cultural contact. It is a slow and gradual process. It is mostly an unconscious process. Assimilation is the process where the members of minority culture gradually modify their culture and ways of life by adopting the culture, attitude, norms, values, patterns of behaviour of other cultures. Minority groups looses its previous cultural identity. Likewise the second process of assimilation is that new culture is formed by the fusion of two or more cultural groups.

Assimilation is the process whereby individuals or groups once dissimilar become similar and identified their interest and out-look. Thus assimilation is the slowly and gradually learning process of majority groups culture and to modify them into the other culture by adopting the ways of life of dominant culture.

The characteristics assimilation are:

1. Assimilation is an unconscious process.

2. It is slow and gradual process.

3. It starts from acculturation.

4. It is a process of learning.

5. It is a long lasting process.

6. It is social and psychological process.

7. It is an universal process.

What are the promoting factors of assimilation?

The promoting factors are:

1. Toleration

2. Intimate social relationship

3. Inter-marriage

4. Cultural similarity

5. Equal social and economic opportunity

Define integration. What are the components of it’s?

Integration is a harmonizing or unifying process whereby separate parts of society unite into a single unit. It helps members to remain together and forces the members to remain in one group. In fact, social integration is the uniting of formerly separated groups into one group with the removal of any previous social and cultural group differences as well as the removal of separate group identification. It is the mutual social adjustment of diverse traits to form a harmonious cultural system. According to dictionary of sociology, ‘integration refers to the process by which different races come to have closer social, economic and political relationship.’

Thus, integration is the process of establishing closer social relationship of the people having different social, economic, political, cultural and environmental condition.

The components of integration are:

1. Sharing of common characteristic.

2. Acceptance or observation of various norms set by the group.

3. Discipline among the members unites the group.

What the characteristics of integration?

The characteristics of integration are as follows:

1. Integration is the harmonious relationship between the various structural components of society.

2. It is a process of organization rather than homogeneity.

3. It is a re-adjustment of social change.

4. It is a complex process in comparison to acculturation and assimilation.

Compare and contrast between acculturation, assimilation and integration.

Similarities among acculturation, assimilation and integration are:

1. All are the basic principles of cultural contact.

2. All are the social process.

3. Borrowing and acquiring various cultural traits are also common features.

Differences

Acculturation	Assimilation	Integration
1. It is related transmission of cultural traits.	1. It refers to the fusion of cultural traits.	1. It is integration of different social parts.
2. It is a continuous process.	2. It is the product of social contacted interaction.	2. It is a process of organization.
3. It takes a short time.	3. It takes a long time.	3. It takes a short time.