Assimilation, << uh `sihm` uh LAY shuhn, >> is the process through which one social and cultural group becomes part of another social and cultural group. For example, groups of people from many countries have settled in the United States. Most of these people gradually abandoned the way of life of their homeland, and adopted an American way of life. They learned the language, adopted the customs, and followed the traditions.
Assimilation may also occur when people move from one part of a country to another part. For example, farm people who move to a city become assimilated into the way of life of the city. A group that becomes assimilated does not necessarily adopt the new way of life completely. It may keep some of its old customs or modify some of the new customs while adopting them.
Sometimes, assimilation is prevented or slowed down because a majority group does not want contact with a minority group. Blacks, Jews, and other minority groups have often been forced to remain in ghettos (segregated living areas). In other cases, minorities have held to their way of life, and have deliberately avoided assimilation into the majority. The Amish of United States farm communities are an example (see Amish ).
In industrial countries, minorities almost always become assimilated into the majority’s way of life. But in developing countries, majorities sometimes become assimilated into a minority. This occurs when a minority is socially and economically more advanced or powerful than the majority.
