Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future
For policy makers, business leaders, and American citizens, immigration reform is one of the defining issues of our time. In turns both personal and analytical, remaining factual and well-argued throughout, Fariborz Ghadar’s Becoming American makes the case for common sense immigration policies and practices that will not only help strengthen America’s economy and role as world leader, but will also help millions of prospective immigrants and their families start making more out of their lives today, and for generations to come. The author is an Iranian immigrant who fled his homeland decades ago in search of a more stable and successful future. Weaving his personal story into that of the millions of immigrants facing unnecessary hurdles at the global level, he demonstrates the need for our governments and leaders to make policy decisions intelligently – not just based on current circumstances – but with an eye toward a future brighter than our current state of dysfunction, uncertainty, and regrettable bigotry towards those with funny names. Based on our nation’s undeniable history as a nation of immigrants, we cannot fail to address the impact that immigration will have on our future if we want to accurately plan for a thriving, diverse and better tomorrow. Becoming American understand helps readers not only the mindset of America’s immigrant populations, but makes the case for America once more as a place for the world’s hardest workers, loftiest dreamers, and most prosperous people.
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Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future
For policy makers, business leaders, and American citizens, immigration reform is one of the defining issues of our time. In turns both personal and analytical, remaining factual and well-argued throughout, Fariborz Ghadar’s Becoming American makes the case for common sense immigration policies and practices that will not only help strengthen America’s economy and role as world leader, but will also help millions of prospective immigrants and their families start making more out of their lives today, and for generations to come. The author is an Iranian immigrant who fled his homeland decades ago in search of a more stable and successful future. Weaving his personal story into that of the millions of immigrants facing unnecessary hurdles at the global level, he demonstrates the need for our governments and leaders to make policy decisions intelligently – not just based on current circumstances – but with an eye toward a future brighter than our current state of dysfunction, uncertainty, and regrettable bigotry towards those with funny names. Based on our nation’s undeniable history as a nation of immigrants, we cannot fail to address the impact that immigration will have on our future if we want to accurately plan for a thriving, diverse and better tomorrow. Becoming American understand helps readers not only the mindset of America’s immigrant populations, but makes the case for America once more as a place for the world’s hardest workers, loftiest dreamers, and most prosperous people.
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Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future

Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future

by Fariborz Ghadar
Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future

Becoming American: Why Immigration Is Good for Our Nation's Future

by Fariborz Ghadar

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Overview

For policy makers, business leaders, and American citizens, immigration reform is one of the defining issues of our time. In turns both personal and analytical, remaining factual and well-argued throughout, Fariborz Ghadar’s Becoming American makes the case for common sense immigration policies and practices that will not only help strengthen America’s economy and role as world leader, but will also help millions of prospective immigrants and their families start making more out of their lives today, and for generations to come. The author is an Iranian immigrant who fled his homeland decades ago in search of a more stable and successful future. Weaving his personal story into that of the millions of immigrants facing unnecessary hurdles at the global level, he demonstrates the need for our governments and leaders to make policy decisions intelligently – not just based on current circumstances – but with an eye toward a future brighter than our current state of dysfunction, uncertainty, and regrettable bigotry towards those with funny names. Based on our nation’s undeniable history as a nation of immigrants, we cannot fail to address the impact that immigration will have on our future if we want to accurately plan for a thriving, diverse and better tomorrow. Becoming American understand helps readers not only the mindset of America’s immigrant populations, but makes the case for America once more as a place for the world’s hardest workers, loftiest dreamers, and most prosperous people.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781442228955
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date: 03/06/2014
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 200
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

Fariborz Ghadar is the founding director of The Center for Global Business Studies at Penn State University, and a Distinguished Scholar and Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

1 Beyond the Numbers 1

2 Debunking the Myths 5

Myth #1 America Continues to Be a Nation of Immigrants 5

Myth #2 All Immigrants Want to Come to the United States 6

Myth #3 America Already Attracts the Best and Brightest Immigrants 6

Myth #4 Immigrants Are a Drain on the Economy 6

Myth #5 Immigrants Are a Threat to National Security (That Is, The War on Terrorism Can Be Won through Immigration Restrictions) 7

Myth #6 Immigrants Do Not Want to Learn English 8

Myth #7 Many Immigrants Are Criminals 8

3 How Did I Get Here? 11

4 What It Takes to Uproot Yourself 21

Immigration as a Force of Change 21

Immigration Laws 25

Today's Pariahs 30

Immigration Reform 32

5 How Did She Get Here: Margaret Ghadar 37

6 Why Do They Come? 43

Immigration's Ebb and Flow 46

Silicon Valley: A Microcosm 48

7 How Did He Get Here: Zbigniew Brzezinski 53

8 Hard Work Makes for a Successful Career 59

9 How Did He Get Here: Salomon Garay 69

10 Paying It Forward to the U.S. Economy 73

11 How Did He Get Here: Yoon-shik Park 81

12 The Bimodal Nature of Immigrants 87

13 The Lure of Clusters 95

Case Study: Detroit's Automobile Industry 96

Case Study: Silicon Valley 98

Technological Revolutions 99

Life Science Cluster 100

Nanotechnology Cluster 102

Other Revolutionary Fields 104

14 A Day in the Life 111

15 Prejudice Exits, But So What? 117

The New Enemy 125

Racial Profiling 128

16 Sticking to Your Own May Work, But It's Not Easy 133

17 Assimilation Is Critical When Assimilation Doesn't Occur 137

18 Next Generation, and the Next, and the Next 147

19 How Did She Get Here: Otessa Ghadar 151

20 Old Country Is Old 155

Benefits 155

Costs 157

21 How Did He Get Here: Michel Amsalem 161

22 Can You Go Home Again? 165

23 Lessons for the Next Generation 171

24 Blueprints for Policymakers 177

25 Would I Do It Again? 187

References 191

Index 203

About the Author 207

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