Immigrants are often expected to adopt the culture and traditions of the host country. This promotes social cohesion since the immigrants who adopt the host nation's culture stop being a highly visible minority. However, globalization has led to an increase in the number of immigrants from Mexico. This influx has led to the increase in the overall number of Mexicans settled in the US. Due to their high numbers, the Mexicans in the US have been able to form small uniform communities. Light and Johnston observe that Mexican immigrants to the US tend to be "concentrated in a few states and metropolitan areas" (5). The immigrants are able to form communities that are made up of people who share cultural experiences and traditions of their home country. As such, instead of adopting the cultural values and traditions of the US, these migrants are able to preserve aspects of their home culture including language. While other migrants are forced to adopt the language and cultural practices of the majority group in the US, the Mexicans have been able to maintain their home language and traditional cultural practices (Perreira 262). The refusal to combine into the host country’s culture has caused some significant problems in the US. The Mexicans stand out as an immigrant community and this has increased the levels of racial stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. The government …show more content…
A defining characteristic of globalization is the exchange of culture when people from different cultural backgrounds interact. The Mexican immigrants have contributed to the cultural diversity of the US by introducing their culture and traditions into the mainstream US society. Mohl observes that Mexican immigrants have "created a vibrant cultural life based on homeland food ways, kinship activities, and musical traditions" (54). Some aspects of this culture have been taken by the mainstream society. Members of the society have adopted popular Mexican foods and dances. The Mexican immigrants have therefore made a positive impact on the social life of the country by enriching the cultural life of the country. However, the practice of traditional culture by the Mexicans can be seen as their attempt to undermine the majority culture. By holding on to their culture, the Mexicans resist integration and this has had some negative impacts such as promoting racial stereotypes, prejudice and