How Class Affects the

Relationship Between
Ethnic/Cultural Groups
Nathan Keith
Class Affects Treatment in Foreign Cultures

The minute I set foot upon [Ellis] island I could feel

all that it stood for: insecurity, obedience, anxiety,
dehumanization, the terrified and careful deference
of the displaced. (Gordon)

Immigrants from around the world face

discrimination as they enter a foreign culture, largely
because of their ethnicity and culture, but also
because of their class. For example, Irish immigrants
were treated much worse than German immigrants,
because they were poor and had fewer skills than
Germans. Their class led to their mistreatment for
decades.
Class Affects Others Perceptions

In fact, the poor Irish were considered to be

part of an entirely different class than other
citizens, compared to African American
slaves by some, and sometimes considered
even lower class than that. Alternatively,
German immigrants were part of a higher
socio-economic class because of their skills
and were treated better as a result. This
juxtaposition shows that the class
differences between Germans and Irish
affected their acceptance in American
society.
Class Affects Others Perceptions

Mexican immigrants were also mistreated as a result

of their class. Many of the Mexicans belonged to a
kind of working class, coming to America for jobs and
for money for their families. As a result, they were
much less accepted, since Americans wanted to keep
all the jobs for other Americans. In Passport Photos,
by Amitava Kumar, there is a sign that cautions
Americans and prohibits Mexicans. It very clearly
treats Mexicans differently than Americans,
discriminating against them in part because of their
class.
Class Affects Self-Perception

Slum tourism turns poverty into entertainment,

something that can be momentarily experienced and
then escaped from. (Odede)

Often, the distinction between classes can turn

society into a bit of a totem pole, in which those on
top can look down on the rest while those on the
bottom are shamed and demeaned for their situation
and helplessness. Slum tourism takes the arduous
situation of the poor and makes it unbearably
shameful.
Class Affects Cultural Norms

Food as status has always been a huge thing in

China, says [food writer Crystyl] Mo. Being able to
afford to eat seafood or abalone or sharks fin or
birds nest soup, or being able to show respect to a
VIP by serving them the finest yellow rice wine, is
part of our history. ... Its a way of showing your
sophistication and worldliness. (Choi)

In China, as well as across the world, your social

status, including your class, affects the way that you
eat (what foods, what quality, how much, with
whom, when).
Works Cited (photos)
Biehle, Sean. Flickr. 17 December, 2005. flickr.com/photos/withoutsound/74310205. Accessed July 2017.
Web.
Chen, Zhi Jian. The frustration of the 99% poor people. Malaysian Chinese News. 22 January, 2015.
malaysianchinesenews.com/2015/01/the-frustration-of-the-99-poor-people. Accessed July 2017.
Web.
Collins, Ben. The Teen Who Exposed a Professors Myth. Daily Beast. 1 August, 2015.
thedailybeast.com/the-teen-who-exposed-a-professors-myth. Accessed July 2017. Web.
Ludden, Jennifer. 1965 Immigration Law Changed Face of America. NPR. 9 May 2006.
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5391395. Accessed July 2017. Web.
Maloti, Olive. Poverty's Poster Child: Why slum tourism is causing more harm than good to Kibera
residents. Linkedin. 28 August 2014.
linkedin.com/pulse/20140828094303-245514509-poverty-s-poster-child-why-slum-tourism-is-causing-
more-harm-than-good-to-kibera-residents. Accessed July 2017. Print.
New York Liberal State of Mind. Blogspot. 17 July, 2010.
nyliberalstateofmind.blogspot.com/2010/07/looking-to-1920s-for-answers.html. Accessed July 2017.
Web.
Works Cited (text)
Choi, Amy S. "What Americans can learn from other food cultures." Ted Ideas. N.p., 03 Jan. 2016. Web. July
2017. <http://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/>.
"First Poem." Pacific Link: The KQED Asian Education Initiative. KQED, n.d. Web. July 2017.
<http://www.kqed.org/w/pacificlink/history/angelisland/poetry/one.html>.
Gordon, Mary. "More Than Just a Shrine." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Nov. 1985. Web.
July 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/03/magazine/more-than-just-a-shrine.html>.
Kumar, Amitava. Passport Photos. Reading Culture. Print. July 2017.
Odede, Kennedy. "Slumdog Tourism." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Aug. 2010. Web. July
2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/opinion/10odede.html>.