Chicano-Mexican Cultural Assimilation and Anglo-Saxon Cultural Dominance

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Abstract
This article examines the cultural assimilationl proc.ess of a Mexicani-origini community in tIhe agrarian ciiyl of Sanita Paula, California. Thle aim of tlis stildy is to describe how the niotion of Anglo-Saxon sutperiority set forth t)he plhilosophical foutndatiolns that structiured the cultural assimilation of the Mexican-origin groups. It is argued that the philosophly of Aniglo-Saxoni suiperiority gen1erated a culturally ranked social order in Sanita Paula that serv>ed to ascribe to the Mexican-orIiginl gr'oulps ani inJrrior social positioni. Thlis nativist philosophly has historically beeli utsed bv ti/e domIIilnlant culture to inistill proper behav ior in the Mexicani-origini populationi anid to preserve tile existing social order of the Anglo elite. A major finiding of this invtlestigation1 c ontc liuded ihat althoughi the ideology of Aiglo-Saxon super-ior-ity genier-ated iititragrouip c'onIflict withinl the Mexic'an-origin contnttuti;, it simtultanleoulslyv promot'oied intrgi-outp unlity. Durzilig periods of imitolerable r-acialprejutdice. Whent the Anglo-American community attempted to coaifer social disadvantages ulponI the Mexicait-origini contutntlity, the subordinate ethnic group responded by temporarily disregar-ding its ciltutrral dijfereItces as a meanis to mobilize a united front.

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