The discussion below has been written by another student. Please reply to it by providing me with at least 350 words, APA format and at least 1 citation. Please be sure to provide original work. Thanks.
Cindy Question: Do you agree or disagree with the author’s posture on “Acculturation”? What are some things that you like in the article or things that offered a different perspective? Was the subject matter sufficiently covered by the author?
Acculturation I disagree with this author’s posture on Acculturation in many ways. I believe that acculturation does not always have to be negative on the individual or mean that the individual must give up their own culture and assume the ‘core culture’ as their own. According to Lara (2005, p. 367), “there is evidence that acculturation has a negative effect and that it is associated with worse health outcomes, behaviors, or perceptions.” It is this writers opinion that acculturation can be done while still keeping one’s own culture, values, opinions and identities. According to Diller (2011,p.162), “Unlike the marginal person who is suspended between cultures with little real connection to either, the bicultural individual feels connected to both and picks and chooses aspects of each to internalize.” It is possible for an individual to become acculturated and still be connected to his or her own culture. I do agree with the author in his recommendations for Public Health Practices. It would definitely benefit an individual who is attempting to acculturate into mainstream American society to maintain a healthy balance between becoming acculturated and keeping the core of their cultural values intact. According to Lara (2005, p. 384), “The goal would be to reinforce positive behaviors among less acculturates Latinos to the less desirable population average among other groups.” It would benefit any acculturating individual to hang on to their positive aspects of their own culture such as nutrition practices, remaining drug and alcohol free, and other healthy behaviors. The other recommendation that I gained a new perspective on was that Public Health needs to provide more outreach programs to individuals attempting to acculturate into mainstream America. According to Lara (2005, p. 385), “Educational and other programs to promote the continuation of good prenatal behaviors among the less acculturated also would be beneficial.” Making this type of information available to any individual from any culture attempting to acculturate to mainstream America would most definitely benefit the health of these individuals. This subject matter could have been covered more sufficiently if the positive aspects of acculturation would have been covered in the research. To cover only the negative aspects leaves the reader to the idea that acculturating into mainstream America is a negative thing and that when acculturating an individual must assume all of mainstream culture and lose their own. That is not to say that America does not have negative cultural practices but that there is good and bad with every culture. Acculturating to the ways of this world should not be our main concern but instead we should be preparing our focus to the culture of God. “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10 ESV)
Reference Diller, J. V., (2011). Cultural Diversity: A primer for the human services, (4th ed.) Brooks/Cole, Belmont, CA. Lara, M., Gamboa, C., Kahramanian, M., Morales, L. S., & Bautista, D. (2005). Acculturation and Latino health in the United States: a review of the literature and its sociopoliticalcontext. Annual Review of Public Health, 26(1), 367-397. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144615