Melting Pot and Salad Bowl Views of Cultural Diversity

Melting Pot and Salad Bowl Views of Cultural Diversity

I need help with a discussion post on the cultural diversity of immigration to the United States, please. The metaphor’s are melting pot or salad bowl. Historical info is also needed. Please use my text book as the source, chapter 2 and 4.

For much of U.S. history, we have prided ourselves on being a so-called melting pot. The process by which different cultural groups are stirred into the pot and create a common culture is a form of assimilation. This contrasts the notion that the United States is a salad bowl, where individuals maintain elements of their cultural heritage, but mix with other individuals from diverse backgrounds to create one big salad. This idea of the salad bowl is similar to the concept of pluralism.

• Which metaphor—the salad bowl or the melting pot—do you think best describes the United States historically?
• Which metaphor do you think best describes our society today?
• Is one pattern more beneficial for society than the other? Why or why not?

Support your arguments by referring to concepts, theories, or examples presented this week.