Immigration, Migration and the New Worlds: The Twentieth Century in America

Immigration, Migration and the New Worlds

Julie Ann Racino

2018

Excerpted from:

Racino, Julie Ann (2003). Utica Monday Nite: Arts, Culture, Nature and History at the City Level. Rome, NY: Community and Policy Studies (p.7)

     Immigration is a central feature of the changing faces of cities in the US and around the world (Massey et al, 1994), and has been studied and monitored for its effect on government and taxpayer resources (e.g., use of food stamps, health insurance, employment and taxes) (Center for Immigration Studies, 2002). In addition, resettlement often involves ethnic neighborhood development in "inner cities", and raises central questions on schooling, neighborhoods, businesses and community, including languages of the new and old countries. In particular, the city of Utica, New York is blessed with rich studies of its ethnic populations (e.g., the Welsh people or people from Wales, Pula, 2002), and has had political leadership from the Lebanese community among others (Moses, 1998). In the 1990s, Utica (in New York) was one of the US resettlement communities for refugees from Bosnia whose war torn history is known worldwide through the newsmedia (For teenage refugee experience, including in Utica, see Tekavec, 1997). 

Bean, P.A. (1998, October). Migration and ethnic development. In: D. F. White, Exploring 200 years of Oneida County history. (pp. 45-58). Utica, NY: Oneida Historical Society. 

Center for Immigration Studies. (2002, November 26). Panel report on immigration. CSPAN.

Coan, P.M. (1997). Ellis Islands interviews: In their own words. NY, NY: Factson File/ Peter Morton Coan. 

Martin, K.M. (2002). Immigration: Process and progress. In: J.S. Pula (Ed.), The History Project, Volume III, Faces in the crowds: Ethnic portraits. (pp.55-73). Utica, NY: Utica College,Center for Historical Research. 

Massey, D., Gross, A., & Shibuya, K. (1994). Migration, segregation, and the geographic concentration of poverty. American Sociological Review, 59, 425-445. 

Moses, J.G. (1998). How the Lebanese advance civilization: The story of Lebanese contributions to mankind with historical background. Utica, NY: Ethnic Studies Center, Utica College. 

Tekavec, V. (1997). In their own voice: Teenage refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina. NY, NY: Rosen Publishing Group. 

In 2018, the federal immigration policies in the US (e.g., President Obama's DACA-Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals-program, sanctuary cities in the US-e.g., Syracuse, New York) are being hotly contested in the newsmedia and the courts, and additional articles and books will be found in collections. In 2017, migration to Europe was an international crisis, and nation-states struggled with public policies on closing borders, controlling migration patterns, participating in humanitarian aid and emergency services, and offering or providing facilities and services to entering immigrants (ASPA, 2017).

Religions of the World/Spirituality (p.9-11)

        The Utica Monday Nite Bridgebuilders in Summer 2002 held weekly presentations and discussion in each of the following religious faiths: Judaism, Protestanism, Roman Catholicism, Islam, Nation of Islam, Zoroastrianism, Janism, Quakers, Buddhism and Hinduism. The themes of unity and commonality were central to the discussions of this series in addition to the depth of academic discourse (e.g., the concept of a just war). September 11, 2001 marked the World Trade Center bombing by terrorists, and subsequently, in religion, education in the US on Islam. Jervis Pubic Library in Rome, New York held a lecture series on the holocaust, including art with the symbols designating categories of prisoners in the Nazi concentration (death) camps (e.g., people with disabilities). These developments coincided with the introduction of faith-based community initiatives in the US supported by federal funding, including research studies on their roles in administering food and housing programs (e.g., Aron & Sharkey, 2002). 

Aaron, L.Y. & Sharkey, P.T. (2002, September/October). The role of faith-based organizations in the social services sector. Urban Research Monitor, 7(4), 1-2.

Armstrong, K. (2000). Islam: A short history. NY, NY: Random House. 

Ashlag, R.Y. (1977). An entrance to the tree of life. Israel, the Old City Jerusalem: The Research Centre of Kabbalah. 

Deland, J.S. (1999). Images of God through the lenses of disability. Journal of Religion, Disability and Health, 3(2), 47-81. 

Hopkins, J. & Napper, E. (1988). Kindness, clarity, and insight: The Fourteenth Dali Lama: His Holiness Tenzin Gyasto. Ithaca, NY:  Snow Lion Publications. 

Jervis Public Library. (2002). Beyond barbed wire: Rescue, survival, tolerance and understanding: A selection of materials available at Jervis Public Library. Rome, NY: Author.

Kohn, S.J. (1959). The Jewish community in Utica, NY: 1847-1948. NY, Y: Jewish Historical Society. 

McRoberts, O.M. (2001, January/February). Black churches, community and development. Shelterforce Online, 1-5. 

Nussbaum, M.C. ( 2000). The role of religion. women and human development: The capabilities approach. (pp. 167-240). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 

Pargament, K. & Maton, K. (2000). Religion in American life. In: J. Rappaport & E. Seidman (Eds.), Handbook of community psychology. (pp 495-522). NY, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. 

Peck, M.S. (1995). In search of stones: A pilgrimage of faith, reason and discovery. NY, NY: Hyperion. 

Spencer, D. & Spencer, E. (Winter 2001-2002). Finding love and friendship: First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Impact: Special Issue, 14(3), 20-21. 

Stark, R. & Bainbridge, R.S. (1996). Religion, deviance and social control. London: Routledge. 

Steinitz, L.Y. (1982). The local church as a support for the elderly. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 4(2), 43-53.

Wald, K.D. (1992). Religion and politics in the US. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.

Wojtyla, K. (Pope John Paul II). (1979). (translated from Polish by Jerzy Peterkiewicz). Easter vigil and other poems. NY, NY: Random House. 

As anticipated, religions often become "Muslim bans" in America or leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. in non-violent protests (now race and policing in America). Indeed the new religion may be LGBT activism in the Nation and the politically right evangelical movements with growth in "non-denominational" churches. In the Obama-era, the religious approach to terrorism, and the faith-based memorials of flowers, photos, symbolic gifts and offerings are part of today's public media.

Arts from Different Cultures (pp.3-4)

      Utica Monday Nite highlights a selection of different arts and artists at diverse venues (e.g., business sidewalk art), from Art Park (which held a session on East Indian embroidery and another on whimsical furniture painting) to brightly colored murals gracing the outside walls near then Hanna Park and Classical Corner. Featured in the art gem of Utica, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, was a special exhibit on ukiyo-e, Japanese wood block print, chronicling life in Japan between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The selections below were chosen to broaden the artistry selected (e.g., stitchery by diverse cultural groups),  and to offer introductory and reference texts to complement the depth of the Utica Monday Nite events (e.g., an excellent text on African American history to the present; artist background on Georgia O'Keefe and Thomas Cole featured at M-W-P Arts Institute). 

Castro, J.G. (1985). The art and life of Georgia O'Keefe. NY, NY: Crown Publishers. 

Dizdarevicx, Z. (1994). Between two river banks. Portraits of Sarajevo. (pp. 22-24). NY, NY: Fromm International Publication Corporation. 

Kozaczka, G. (1987). Old World Stitchery. Radnor, PA: Chilton Book Company. 

Ley, S. (1976). Russian and other Slavic embroidery designs. NY, NY: Charles Scribner and Sons. 

Lucie-Smith, E. (1984). The Thames and Hudson dictionary of art terms. NY, NY: Thames and Hudson. 

Morris, J.H. & Morris, L.C. (1999). Small town murals: Remembering rural roots. In: I.B. Carlton LaNey, R.L. Edwards & P. Nelson Reid, Preserving and strengthening small towns and rural communities. (pp. 186-195). Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers. 

...(2001, August 14). Artist finishes one mural, contemplates another. Rome Daily Sentinel, 1. 

Neuer, R., Libertson, H. & Yoshida, S. (1978). Ukiyo-e: 250 years of Japanese art. NY, NY: Mayflower Books. 

Patton, S.F. (1998). African-American Art. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press. 

Sullivan, E.J. (1996). Latin American art in the twentieth century. London: Phaidon Press Ltd. 

Time Life Book Editors. (1971). Life library of photography: The studio. NY, NY: Time Life Books. 

Truettner, W.H. & Wallach, A. (1994). Thomas Cole: Landscape into history. New Haven & Washington, DC: Yale University Press and National Museum of Art. 

Wilkins, D.G. & Schutz, B. (1990). Art past: Art present. NY, NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. and Prentice Hall, Inc. 

See, also, Very Special Arts, Art Therapy, Exceptional Children and the Arts, Special Education and the Arts, Disability Arts and Culture.

Thank you to the Pratt Institute for access to their collections, and to the Stanley Red Room and the Munson-Williams Proctor for their inclusion of Very Special Arts collections. 

This  36 page bibliography was developed in conjunction with a qualitative research study of Utica Monday Nite (2002) Summer Season as part of the series on Sports, Recreation and the Arts: Disability and Community Life. Copyright awarded to Community and Policy Studies and Julie Ann Racino.  Prepared in preparation for federal research studies.

Thank you to Utica Monday Nite's founder Lynne Mishalanie for her work over 15 years on the events and their contributions to the city of Utica, county of Oneida, New York State.