Whenever the topics of enclaves pokes its head up, we all inevitably find ourselves making broad, sweeping generalizations. But the more I read about this topic, I believe the more I find that there is no short, simple answer to anything.
For example, are enclaves bad? Don’t we all, really, live in an enclave? I’m not just talking about race here. Look at where you live, and who you associate with. Don’t they seem, well, a little bit like yourself? It’s a natural human tendency to surround yourself with those who share common values, morals, cultures, etc. There isn’t just chinatown and little italy, there are jewish communities, christian communities, muslim communities, predominately white communities and predominately black, democratic communities, republican communities, the list goes on and on. What I am saying is, I believe we talk about enclaves as if they are almost exclusive to immigrants, (mainly because they are easier to identify) but I know plenty of native-born Americans that live in their hometown their entire life. Plenty of native-born Americans who grow up, work, and raise families, in areas where the people are just like them.
In a way, an enclave can be really good. One has a group which they can identify themselves with, people they can talk about mutual interests with and maybe even speak the same language with. In another way they can be bad, because those people are never experiencing the other things that are out there. If one grows up around the same people, they will never really have the opportunity to branch out.
Of course, Immigrants do have strong associations and ties in with their own enclaves and history shows they seldom wish to leave. In Zhou Min’s piece, it is noted that many of Chinese immigrants still flock to Old Chinatown. However, there are just as many who begin to live elsewhere in New York City, traveling across the five boroughs and abandoning the age-old gathering place. The process may be slow, but perhaps this system of immigrant enclaves is slowly disintegrating; perhaps it can be an example to the rest of us to finally mingle as one diverse community.
