Takaki correctly argues that race played an important part in the assignment of citizenship during the early European immigration. The European settlers found it justifiable to rob the early American inhabitants off their land because they were of a different race.įurthermore, it has since been established that most of the stereotypes that Europeans bestowed upon the early inhabitants were unfounded. In “A Different Mirror”, the author notes that it was in the best interest of Early European settlers to label Native Americans as savages. On the other hand, all interethnic conflicts produce both ‘conqueror’ and ‘conquered’ groups.įor instance, Takaki outlines how the early encounters between Native Americans and European settlers reveal widespread ethnocentrism. The internal conflicts that have rocked the United States over the course of history have served as a reminder that the issues of race and citizenship are intertwined.Įthnocentrism is responsible for certain groups of people viewing others as outsiders even though both groups are contained in the same environment. Therefore, the issue of race supersedes that of immigration or origin when it comes to American citizenship.Īlthough the United States is considered a multicultural society, cases of ethnocentrism have been persistent throughout the country’s history.

It is important to note that the cultures of the original American inhabitants have since faded from the country’s cultural outlook. However, in the United States Europeans dominate both the country’s cultural and political landscapes. Takaki’s arguments are valid because in a multicultural society all citizens should equally contribute to their country’s cultural and political outlook. Consequently, individuals from other races should actively take part in activities and decisions that grant them unlimited access to citizenship. The main argument in Takaki’s “A Different Mirror” is that American citizenship should not be concentrated on European stock. This paper explores Takaki’s arguments in “A Different Mirror” while focusing on America’s history and citizenship. ‘Americaness’ has for a long time been synonymous with white people of European descent thereby introducing the issue of race in American citizenship.

However, Takaki observes that America is mostly considered a nation of European immigrants. Consequently, the issue of race and citizenship is a controversial subject in the United States.

A different mirror by ronald takaki