Reviewed by Violet M. Showers Johnson | Reviews | Journal of American Ethnic History, 28.3

You have not been recognized as a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History online. About 235 words from this article are provided below; about 525 words remain.

If you are a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History, you may:: • login here if you have already registered for online access.; • Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.
• Set up your online account for the first time.
If you are not a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History, you can:: • subscribe here.
• Purchase a research pass to gain two hour access to the entire History Cooperative web site. You will have full access to current issues of the Journal of American Ethnic History.
Instititutions can:: • Subscribe to the journal and receive print and electronic issues.
• Activate your existing subscription so that we recognize your IP number ranges.

Reviewed by Violet M. Showers Johnson | Reviews | Journal of American Ethnic History, 28.3 | The History Cooperative

Reviews

*The West Indian Diaspora: Experiences in the United States and Canada.* By Alwyn D. Gilkes. New York: LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2007. vii +182 pp. Bibliography and index. $58.00 (cloth).
Overall, West Indian immigrants in North America have been successful in the familiar story of resilience. Less well-known are the psychological forces that shape this story. The West Indian Diaspora attempts to go behind the political, economic, and social outcomes to reveal complex ideological, emotional, and cultural factors. As Alwyn Gilkes emphasizes, "Immigration is a stressful experience" (p. 1). Yet many immigrants thrive. From his "insider status"as someone who emigrated from the West Indies, lived in Canada and the United States, and has relatives and friends in both countriesGilkes set out to study acculturation, acculturative stress, and coping mechanisms among adult first-generation English-speaking Afro-West Indians in Toronto and New York.	1
The West Indian Diaspora identifies, describes, and discusses acculturative stressors: racism and discrimination, work-related concerns, family-related concerns and demands, and environmental (residential) concerns. It also examines ethnic identity, transnationalism, education, and social capital, the protective factors that shield the immigrants from the destructive consequences of the acculturative stressors. Racism and discrimination are very often the most potent of the stressors, countered by ethnic identity, the most crucial and most studied of the protectors. Aggregately, and in complex ways, the protectors facilitate the immigrants' acculturation and ensure their well-being or resilience.	. . .

There are about 525 more words in this article. Please log in (or, if you are not yet an authorized user, please go to the User Setup page) to gain full access rights. Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.