Sociological Meanings of Basic Concepts

Two replies or critical comments to other students' postings(Response below). These replies should have a minimum of 150 words each. Read each student posting and provide a critical comment for each one. No apa required, No reference, all in your own words.

Student 1

After watching the movie " Me voy pal Norte" I learned that Puerto Ricans were the first group who immigrate to new York city on nineteen  century as fact of the relocation of the factories in the  North of US.  Puerto Rican community historically represented a high rate of unemployment and poverty across the country.   One of the factors that influenced in the the lower socio-economic status of this community has being the  poor educational attainment skills and language disparities. However, New York has been the gateway city in the United States for the  Puerto Rican  migration as well as the locus for significant proportion of the Puerto Ricans working Class population that it is being able to settle down here regardless of the obstacles and economy struggles.

  Also, I think that the article "Puerto Rican presence wanes in New York city" by Mireya Navarro is very meaningful in terms of remarking the tight attachment beyond New York city and Puerto Ricans roots.  Navarro highlights the Puerto Rican community's  effort to preserve their culture and traditions in certain places in the city that are known as Spanish neighborhood such as "El barrio".  The author express themes like the pride of Puerto Ricans for being here for so many years and still embracing their Hispanic heritage, maintaining their gastronomy, music and language.  The article support the idea that Puerto Rican people represents Hispanic identity in NYC at some point.  However, that was mostly between 19 and 20st century because immigrants population is  expanding across the country and the concentration of immigrant population in New York city now is divided towards Mexican,Dominicans and Puerto Ricans.

  The article also refers to Puerto Ricans struggle to a fair achievement gap which it's not an exclusive problem of Puerto Rican People if not a problem of the whole Latinos community who are victims of the same patterns of exclusion,  discrimination and lock of opportunities.

The reason why Puerto Ricans are moving to state like la Florida is simple,  and those are economy reasons ,Puerto Ricans are looking to move into states that pays no states  tax like is the case of the state of La Florida;  therefore,  looking  for  a places  easier to find jobs.

  NYC community is  changing as a result of many demographic changes turning NYC city as very unique state that is a symbol diversity and tolerance.  Also severals  organization that represent the different immigrants groups that  continues to grow are getting together to promote laws that generate socio-economic changes to benefit minorities.

Student 2

Latinos are a dominant force in the United States society. Millions of Latinos reside in America. Many come for better opportunities not only for themselves but their families. Promises of better jobs, wages, schools, and living conditions have attracted not only Latino immigrants to come to the United States but almost all immigrants. Puerto Ricans are said to be the first Latino group to arrive in New York in the early-mid 1900s. Puerto Ricans began to arrive in the Northeast and north central region of the United States in hopes of working in the United States. They arrived in hopes of working manufacturing jobs. Unfortunately, their timing was not impeccable. The manufacturing industry began a steady decline in the 1950s in the Northeast. Most manufacturing in the Northeast and north central region of the United States decreased and factories began to move to the south and places where labor was cheaper. This created major poverty for the Puerto Ricans who came to the United States in hopes of better wages and jobs in general. A lot of the Puerto Ricans who arrived had little to any education, which would present an issue in finding other jobs.

Studies have shown many Puerto Rican in the United States have faced poverty. In the late 1900s Puerto Ricans had a high unemployment rate in the United States. Studies suggest that because Puerto Ricans arrived as American citizens they were given benefits that were not granted to other immigrants such as welfare. Many relate the idea of Puerto Ricans receiving welfare with the high level of poverty within the Puerto Rican community because many became comfortable with being on government assistance rather than working a low paying job. Sociologists believe this attributed to the cycle of poverty within the Puerto Rican community in the United States.

Many Puerto Ricans in the United States have left from New York for other parts of the Northeast and to other states like Florida, and New Jersey. Many have questioned why this has occurred. The theories that have been created to justify this occurence are the ideas of better jobs in other places, better school, education, and family ties. Many also move to Puerto Rico. There are more jobs in Puerto Rico now than there was in the 1900s. Many also go to retire in their homeland.

Because there are less Puerto Rican in New York than there was a decade ago, or even two decades ago, New York has gained a more diverse Latino community. New York has begun to see higher numbers of Dominican, South and Central Americans, and Mexicans. The decrease of Puerto Ricans have created what is essentially more room for other Latinos to come in and has reshaped the Latino community in NYC.