Helping Young Refugees and Immigrants Succeed

GERHARD SONNERT is Sociologist of Science and Research Associate in the Department of Physics at Harvard University, USA.   GERALD HOLTON is Mallinckrodt Research Professor of Physics and Research Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University, USA.

"It is frequently claimed that contemporary immigration to the United States - the Post-1965 Immigration Wave - is unprecedented in its magnitude, diversity, and challenge to America's absorptive capacity. The chapters in this volume, written by leading scholars and practitioners, show the many parallels of the present situation with America's largely successful integration of earlier waves of immigrants. The central conclusion is that the openness of America's educational and economic opportunities for young immigrants, and the native-born children of immigrants, has been the key to America's successful past and can be again in the future." - Charles Hirschman, University of Washington "Displaying a brilliant balance between lessons learned from past immigrant experiences, deep analyses of current immigrant groups, and the role of various factors affecting integration like education, culture, policies, and organizations, this is an excellent read." - Contemporary Sociology

• Introduction;  G.Sonnert & G.Holton PART I: SETTING THE STAGE: THE HISTORIAL FRAMEWORK Questions of Success: Lessons from the Last Great Immigration;  N.Foner Conceptual Frameworks for Obstacles to Immigrant Advancement: Perceiving Immigrants in the Context of Societal Change;  R.Ueda PART II: LOOKING INTO THE PAST: SOME LESSONS FROM THE 'SECOND WAVE' Successful Young Refugees form Central Europe - Potential Lessons for Today;  G.Sonnert & G.Holton The Second Wave and the American Jewish Community;  N.Glazer Helping Young Immigrants/Refugees Become Entrepreneurs;  C.Claus Abt PART III: RECENT AND CURRENT WAVES OF YOUNG IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES After the Cold War: Comparing Soviet Jewish and Vietnamese Youth in the 1980s to Today's Young Refugees;  S.J.Gold Second Generation Advantages: An Optimistic Story;  M.Waters The Changing Role of Race and Ethnicity in the Incorporation of Refugees, Immigrants and their Children;  P.Kasinitz Young, Gifted and West African: Transnational Migrants Growing Up in America;  M.Halter & V.M.Showers Johnson Mexican Immigrant Legalization and Naturalization and Children's Economic Well-Being;  F.D.Bean, S.K.Brown, M.A.Leach & J.Bachmeier PART IV: EDUCATING IMMIGRANTS Schooling Pathways of Newcomer Immigrant Youth;  C.Suárez-Orozco & F.X.Gaytán The Importance of Raising Mexican-American High School Graduation Rates;  J.Perlmann Increasing Concrete Knowledge and Community Capacity: How CUNY and other Institutions Can Help Re-Shape Mexican Educational Futures in New York;  R.Smith PART V: INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING AID TO YOUNG IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES Tapping the Potential of Refugee Youth;  R.J.Carey & J.S.Kim [International Rescue Committee (IRC)] Reasons for Living and Hoping: Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope;  J.Duncan [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS)] Protection of Refugee and Migrant Children: The Role of Nonprofits;  A.Wilson [LutheranImmigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)] A Framework for the Care of Unaccompanied Children;  K.Tota [Office of Refugee Resettlement, U. S. Department of Health& Human Services] PART VI: LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE Home Country Farewell: The Withering of Immigrants' 'Transnational' Ties;  R.Waldinger Is There a Looming Period of Liminality for Race and Ethnicity in the US?;  R.Alba & H.shien Tsao