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Javier Sanchez
Instructor: Ms. Meredith Effler
ENG 102-012
8 March 2016
A threat or a friend?
Around the world in eighty days? Not anymore. The world is getting smaller and
smaller every day. No, it is not an astronomical issue. Physically the planet has always
had the same size; however, technology has made communication and transportation
easier than ever before, bringing countries closer to each other. People are not staying in
the same place anymore. Workers used to work for the same company for over 20 years,
families used to stay in the same neighborhood for decades and moving to another
country was very rare.
Now, things have changed. People move all around the country and even around
the world due to many reasons: to find a better job, a better education, a better career, a
better future or simply a better life. This issue has triggered an important cultural
exchange everywhere. Workers are required to speak more than one language, to attend
meeting overseas and to get involved with different nationalities, environments, and
cultures.
Of course, internationalization has countless benefits. For instance, businesses
expand and get a broader list of customers generating a lot of income every year. Also,
internationalization contributes not only to economic development but also to
sociological development. However, there are a group of people in every country that are
against immigration. They do not like the idea of foreign workers coming to their lands.
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Some believe that immigrants are taking their jobs and deteriorating their countries.
Several places around the world are against internationalization; as a consequence
immigrants suffer nativism.
The American historian, scholar of American culture and, historiography and
ethnicity John William Higham states “”Nativism” is defined as the individual-level
attitude that immigrants pose a threat to a distinctly American culture and way of life”.
The Assistant Professor of Politics at Centre College Benjamin Knoll points out
that nativism could be divided into different levels. He explains that immigrants that
have proficiency with English, a strong association with American identity, and a stable
economic life are less likely to be judged than those who do not have these
characteristics. Also, Knoll explains people judge immigrants based on their income,
age, gender, and religion. “This analysis has also revealed that other factors are
