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The rhetoric of acculturation: When integration means assimilation
Author(s) -
Bowskill Matt,
Lyons Evanthia,
Coyle Adrian
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1348/014466607x182771
Subject(s) - acculturation , conceptualization , rhetoric , faith , sociology , cultural assimilation , identity (music) , social psychology , psychology , discourse analysis , exploratory research , epistemology , social science , aesthetics , linguistics , anthropology , philosophy , ethnic group
Viewing traditional acculturation literature through a social constructionist lens, the present paper identifies a number of limitations with this research. A discourse analytic approach to acculturation is offered as a means of addressing some of these issues. Drawing on examples taken from British print media debate surrounding the issue of faith schooling in the UK, an analysis is presented which illustrates the manner in which, though optimally positioned within acculturative moral hierarchies directed towards the legitimization of both pro‐ and anti‐faith schooling debates, integration rhetoric often conceals the (re‐)production of a more implicit assimilationism. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for hegemonically structured acculturative power relations. This exploratory analysis provides the basis for reflection on the benefits of a discursive approach to acculturation. Moreover, the dependence of integrationist discourse on a series of socio‐spatial resources is considered and, following on from Dixon and Durrheim's (2000) discursive re‐conceptualization of place‐identity, is taken to signify the need for a more environmentally ‘grounded’ approach to acculturation.