Race, Ethnicity, and Family

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Race, Ethnicity, and Family
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African American Families The impact of economics

• Society-wide shift in economic restructuring
  Jobs eliminated in central city areas and
  manufacturing areas
  
• Lower and working class black families suffered
  more from economic restructuring than other
  groups
  
• This group generally has lower levels of
  education and therefore fewer job opportunities

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African Americans The impact of economics (cont.)

• Black men
• High high-school dropout rates
• Violence and drugs taking a toll
• high rate of imprisonment
• high homicide rates
• high imprisonment rates
• many in mental hospitals due to drug addiction or
  alcoholism
  

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African Americans Decline of marriage

• More likely than whites to weigh economic
  considerations in marriage
  
• Shortage of employed Black men
• For every three unmarried women there is one man
  with earnings above the poverty line
  
• Considered less marriageable
• Black women less likely to marry and remarry than
  white women
  
• Link between childbearing and marriage weakened

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Percentage of family households that were headed
by a married couple
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African Americans The Impact of Culture

• Black families are much more likely to have a
  grandparent or other kin living with them
  
• Grandparents play a stronger role in black
  families
  
• Female centered kinship ties and network
• Network of kin ties more important than marital
  ties
  
• Female-centered networks ease the hardship of
  persistent poverty

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Percentage of family households that contain
relatives other than parents and their children
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The rise of Middle-Class African American families

• Black middle-class families expanded greatly
  since 1960s
  
• Some have managed to escape poverty
• Educational statistics show great improvement
• Black churches a great source of social support
• Middle-class blacks live in neighborhoods with
  less crime and poverty

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Hispanic Families

• As much variation within the group as between
  Hispanics and other
  
• Mexicans of American origins 67
• Central and South Americans 14
• Puerto Rican Americans 9
• Cuban Americans 4

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Mexican American Families

• Highest immigration rate among Hispanic groups -
  more likely to be immigrants than born in the U.S
  
  
• Kinship ties very strong
• Higher birthrate than any other racial-ethnic
  group
  
• Likely to live in multigenerational families

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Puerto Ricans

• Until recently the most economically
  disadvantaged of major Hispanic groups
  
• Second only to Mexican-American households for
  economic disadvantages
  
• Second only to African Americans for children
  born to unwed mothers
  
• Lowest average levels of education
• Highest unemployment levels and lowest labor
  force participation of Hispanic groups
  
• High rates of informal marriage

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Cuban Americans

• First wave immigrating for political asylum
• Many live in immigrant enclave
• Large, dense, single-ethnic group, almost
  self-sufficient community
  
• Most early immigrants settled in Miami
• Most prosperous of Hispanic group
• Entrepreneurs high rate of business owners
• More likely to be headed by married couple than
  any other Hispanic family

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Total fertility rate for racial-ethnic groups in
2003
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Percentage of women giving birth who were not
married, for racial-ethnic groups
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Asian American Families

• Emphasize interdependence among kin more than
  Western cultures
  
• Asian immigrant parents are more likely to live
  in households where adult children provide
  income
  
• Greater emphasis on childrens loyalty and
  service to parents
  
• Can cause bi-cultural conflict

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Asian American advantages

• Social capital Resources that a person can
  access through his or her relationship with other
  people
  
• Links to an immigrant community are assets
• Helps families start and succeed in business
• Highest percentage of households headed by
  married couples of any racial-ethnic group

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Diversity among Asian American groups

• Vietnamese who immigrated after Vietnam War are
  less likely to prosper (fewer skills, less
  assistance, poor economy on arrival)
  
• Previous patterns may not survive through
  subsequent generations
  
• More egalitarian relationships
• Rate of intermarriage are higher among Asian
  groups

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Native American families

• Kinship networks important for identity and
  resources
  
• Approximately 43 percent live on or near tribal
  lands
  
• Remain economically disadvantaged compared to
  other racial-ethnic groups
  
• Substantial number of families headed by women
• 36 headed by unmarried women