Book

Growing up and growing old in Italian-American families

Rutgers University PressNew Brunswick, New Jersey • Published In 1985 • Pages:

By: Johnson, Colleen Leahy.

Abstract
This study of Italian Americans investigates various dimensions of ethnic group membership as manifested in family organization. The information was collected from interviews with over four hundred individuals living in the northeastern city of 'Easton' (a pseudonym). The research focuses on the point in the middle of the family cycle when loyalties are tested. The document is divided into three parts. The first part deals with a description of the research setting, the history of the Italian American immigration to the United States, the integration of the immigrants into mainstream American society, and the major structural variables associated with family differences. Part 2 describes the dominant characteristics of the average Italian American family as it differs from intermarried and Protestant families. The final section of this work, part 3, analyzes the processes by which ethnicity continues to determine the configuration of the Italian American family.
Subjects
Theoretical orientation in research and its results
External migration
Social relationships and groups
Household
Family relationships
Old age dependency
Activities of the aged
Status and treatment of the aged
culture
Italian Americans
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1991
Field Date
No date
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
northeastern United States
Notes
[by] Colleen Leahy Johnson
Includes index. Bibliography: p. [231]-238
LCSH
Italian Americans