Assimilasjon! An expression frequently found in the language of social science, culture, and migration. It refers to how people or groups slowly integrate into another society’s norms, values and practices. The idea is particularly pertinent in the context of debates about immigration, minority communities and social cohesion.
The term Assimilation essentially reflects how people or a group adapts to cultural norms of another society. This may include expressions, customs, patterns of behaviour and generally accepted viewpoints. These adaptations, you could argue, over time help to minimise the impact of cultural difference: they help people to belong and share social identity.
Understanding the Meaning of Assimilasjon
The term assimilasjon comes from a Latin word ”to make similar.” On the ground, it is another way of saying you’re going to become more like the people who live around you. Although often treated as a synonym for integration, assimilation generally has connotations of more fundamental cultural transformation.
Often, assimilation is not an event but a series of events that occur over time and generations. First generations may maintain more of the original culture, but as to succeeding generations it becomes most evident that their host society has influenced them in some way.
Key Characteristics of Assimilasjon
There are several characteristics that can be observed in assimilation:
- Language assimilation: Acquiring and using the majority language regularly
- Cultural acculturation: Acceptance of a system of customs, traditions, and social norms
- Social inclusion: Participation in society, learning and work
- Identity change: Progressive identification with the normative cultural identity
These factors are not necessarily simultaneous. Learners maybe quick at language but slow to give up customs.
How Assimilasjon Works in Society
Assimilation typically takes place over time due to exposure to and interaction with others. Schools, employers, the media, and our social networks all have a role in influencing behavior and belief.
Assimilation is essentially about how people or groups adapt to the cultural norms of another society. This may require the individual to take on local styles of communication, dress codes, work ethics and social norms. In time, these choices may become habitual and unconscious.
Social pressure can also affect assimilation. In some communities, assimilation into the majority culture is normative or expected; in others, cultural diversity is more encouraged.
Assimilasjon vs Integration
They are closely related, but assimilation and integration are not the same thing.
- Assimilation is the process in which they become like the dominant group culturally
- Integration is the ability of individuals to participate without fully assimilating within their primary cultural group in a wider society
This is more of a harder integration, since it tends to change people inwardly based on the idea that over time they become unified with each other and the culture.
Types of Assimilasjon
In different settings, assimilation may take on varied forms:
1. Cultural assimilation: Assuming a culture’s values and traditions.
2. Linguistic assimilation: Adapting to the majority language
3. Social integration: Making connections with the host society
4. Economic assimilation: Reaching comparable levels of employment and income
These species frequently interbreed and become more similar to each other over time.
Benefits of Assimilasjon
Assimilasjon can have some benefits for both individuals and society:
- Improved communication and social cohesion
- Increased access to work and education
- Reduced social barriers and misunderstandings
- More identification to the society of destination
For others, assimilation makes for simpler day-to-day interactions and more acceptance.
Challenges and Criticism
As with all good things, assimilation also has its drawbacks. Its opponents say it can put pressure on people to turn their backs on traditional culture. This could result in experiencing grief, marginalization or identity crisis.
Other challenges include:
- Discrimination that limits full acceptance
- Emotional stress from cultural change
- Generational differences within families
- Resistance from majority and minority communities
In light of these concerns, much of contemporary society seeks to strike a balance between assimilation and the recognition of cultural diversity.
Assimilasjon in a Modern Context
Today, the process of assimilation looks very different, in the era of globalisation and digital communication. Individuals can still foster strong links with their native culture while adjusting to another. This has resulted in a softening of assimilation whereby hybrid identities are accepted.
Instead of takeover and erasure, contemporary assimilation may be more about selective incorporation—deciding what aspects of the dominant culture you want to embrace while still maintaining your own legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is assimilasjon in the simplest way possible?
A: Assimilasjon refers to when people assimilate into the dominant society by learning and accepting its language, culture and behavior.
Q2. Does the word assimilasjon mean integration?
A: No, assimilasjon is transforming yourself into a different culture and adapting it while integrating means participating in society while preserving your own cultural identity.
Q3. Does assimilasjon happen quickly?
A: Assimilation tends to be gradual. It can be years or even generations, particularly when language practices, cultural values and identity are at stake.
Q4. Can assimilasjon be voluntary?
A: Of course, in most instances assimilation occurs organically and voluntarily via education, work, social contact. But people can feel “peer pressure” to be the same.
Q5. Is assimilasjon still relevant today?
A: Yes, assimilasjon is relevant in today’s multicultural societies, although it now has a more flexible ring to it as people try and find ways to adjust without relinquishing their own tradition.
Final Thoughts
Assimilasjon is a rather nuanced and ever changing topic, with far reaching implications for society. Assimilation is primarily concerned with relationships among individuals and groups in relation to dominant norms of other societies, notably: language, values and social habits. It can foster unity and opportunity, but it also poses important questions about identity and cultural preservation.
Having a grasp of assimilation can give us more perspective on the struggles and life journeys of “in between people”, in an ever globalized world.
