Brazilians in Los Angeles, Imperialism, Immigration, and Social Class

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2000

RESUMO

This study examines Brazilian immigration to Los Angeles from the perspective of the relationship established between Brazil and the United States throughout American imperialist expansion in Brazil. Based on data collected between 1997 and 1999, I show that the most important conditions for the existence of this immigrant pattern are the networks built by Americans themselves throughout their economic and cultural expansion in Brazil. These networks are countless, but in my research I explore the ones consequent of the following processes of expansion: 1) Seventh Day Adventism in Brazil, 2) the international marriage market for American men, 3) the scientific and technological dependence consequent of the adoption of American models of development in Brazil, and 4) the Hollywood movie industry. Whatever its content, it is the direct or indirect contact with American culture that creates a favorable environment for the development of the dream or the need of living in xv the United States, or at least to be open to such an experience. Different expectations and reasons for immigrating, class position in Brazil, as well as the networks to which Brazilian immigrants are connected define how they will be integrated into the world of Los Angeles. The diversity of reasons for immigrating and the seemingly countless alternatives of integration can, in fact, be grouped into a limited set of alternatives. These alternatives, of course, are not the same for all Brazilians because Brazilian immigrants in Los Angeles comprise a very heterogeneous group. This dissertation explores the integration of the members of two Brazilian associations in Los Angeles, the Portuguesespeaking Seventh-Day Adventist Church of Chino, and the Brazilian Womens Group. These associations exemplify two patterns of integration: the individual and the community-based patterns. Yet their experiences are also important outlets for understanding the different expressions of social class politics in Los Angeles. By discussing the ways in which the members of these two groups build their identities and interact among themselves I show that social class is an indispensable component of ethnic identity. I also show that factors such as religion, for instance, play an important part in defining what elements are important to determine social positions in different social spaces or networks.

ASSUNTO(S)

immigration migrações internacionais migrações brasileiras imperialismo imperialism antropologia social class classes sociais

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