“Contemporary Immigration and the Dynamics of Race and Ethnicity” In America Becoming: Racial Trends and Their Consequences, edited by Neil J. Smelser, William Julius Wilson, Faith Mitchell.

This article examines three interrelated questions: (1) To what extent does contemporary immigration differ from immigration at the turn of the century, and how may these differences affect our approach to the issues of, and concerns about, immigration? (2) How have settlement patterns of new immigrants transformed America’s urban centers and the nature of racial and ethnic relations in these centers? (3) What opportunities and challenges have new immigrants and their offspring faced as they converge in America’s largest urban centers, and will they be able to advance socioeconomically if they follow the path taken by earlier European immigrants?