International Atlanta and Ethnic Group Relations

Author(s): Valerie Fennell

Source: Urban Anthropology, Vol. 6, No. 4 (WINTER 1977), pp. 345-354

Published by: The Institute, Inc.

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40552798

ABSTRACT: The socially defined racial subcommunities of Blacks and Whites share political dominion in Atlanta, Georgia. The struggles and agreements of these native groups define the urban environment to which more recently ar- rived immigrant and refugee groups must adapt. The city's fairly new aspirations for "international" recognition has enhanced the importance of recognizing resident foreign national groups publicly. However, public recognition usually results in more inclusive categorizations (African, Arab, Asian, European, or Latin) than those recognized as culturally relevant to the foreign nationals themselves. This paper discusses some of the assumptions behind these categories and the ways in which foreign nationals resist and agree to these persistent categorizations. These interactions give rise to ethnic group boundaries that represent an adaptation to the unique Atlantan urban environment.

The dominant subculture of Atlanta has been White, but Black subculture has always been extremely significant. The strains between these powerful Atlanta communities create the conditions to which immigrant groups must adapt. This paper analyzes the influences of these communities upon the formation of new ethnic groups in the city. Data were collected by small research teams during the fall of 1974 and the academic year of 1975. Collection techniques included preliminary questionnaire surveys, depth interviewing of key informants, the gathering of media in- formation, and extensive participant-observation.