Muslim American Heritage

Assimilation is Not Erasure: Updating the Discourse of Assimilation in America And Encouraging Cultural Collaboration



The discourse surrounding immigrant populations in America often revolves around the term "assimilation."  This term is defined in a number of ways, and is often used to suggest that newcomers to the United States should adopt values and traditions that are "American" in place of their own unique values and traditions.  This pattern of thought is unproductive, and serves only to divide the people of America.  Why should we encourage cultural conformity, when the American people are already so diverse, so adaptable?  MALA aims to update the current discourse of assimilation, and offer a more nuanced definition wherein assimilation is understood as a process by which different cultures and traditions coexist, and interact with each other.

Assimilation should not be an instrument of erasure.   Successful assimilation does not mean that one set of cultural traditions should yield for another.  Rather, it means the melding of culture, and the celebration of diversity.  Assimilation should be considered as a means of collective cultural contribution, not cultural suppression.  Through this collective contribution of culture, Americans have built a vibrant national identity that is both unique, and fluid.  MALA seeks to highlight the individuals on the forefront of this fluid identity, and to celebrate their contributions to the ever-evolving American society.  

American greatness hinges on our own willingness to carve out spaces in our communities for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and intersecting identities.  Our strength can extend only as far as our empathy; our momentum as a nation can continue only so long as we are willing to look upon our differences as powerful, and not divisive.  Diverse perspectives and experiences are what made this country great, and what will continue to make us great; by celebrating these perspectives and encouraging the interweaving of cultures into the fabric of American society, MALA hopes to update the discourse, and create space for the progress that is necessary for the success of us all.   

• Read about how Julia has struggled to balance criticism and excitement during her time in the United States:
• Najah speaks about how risk-taking, and self representation have been critical to finding her place in the world:
• As a first generation Egyptian-American, Dena encountered dissonance between her Arab heritage, and American culture.
• Sohail provides useful insight on how Western culture, and Islamic culture can be symbiotic, and how cultural exchange can improve the global community.