Assimilation and Amalgamation

Assimilation and Amalgamation
The absorption of the culture and social structure of an in-coming group into the dominant society is referred to as assimilation. Two forms of assimilation may be noted. In one form new immigrants change their sociocultural structure to conform to that of the dominant culture and society. The second form of assimilation — the true melting pot — involves an intermixing or blending of the dominant culture with the sub-cultures of the im¬migrants in such a way that a new culture results.
Assimilation occurs more readily in some conditions than in others. It is more likely to take place easily and quickly when a minority group is similar to the dominant society both culturally and biologically.
While assimilation means a social and cultural merging, amalgamation refers to the biological merging of an ethnic or a racial group with the native population. Some amalgamation always occurs when two groups live together, but it is rare for
amalgamation to be the dominant pattern of acceptance. True amalgamation can be seen, in Hawaii in Polynesia, where Caucasians, Negroes and Monogloids have intermarried frequently that the three races have partly melted into a single group.
Amalgamation is not necessarily a feasible solution to problems of intergroup relations even if it could be carried out.