A Historical Case Study of Chinese Immigrants in America
.The Chinese had been victims of prejudice and violence ever since they first began to come to the West in the mid-nineteenth century.” This antagonism was openly utilised by the American media to spread racial prejudice against immigrants through the use of propaganda posters.
Reports from the press frequently only focused on the negative reactions US citizens had towards Chinese immigrants, influencing citizens to have a warped view of immigration and creating a hostile environment for the Chinese. |
After the gold rush, limited jobs and increasing unemployment levels created economic hardship that instigated hostility towards the Chinese. Harsher immigration regulations became widely supported, creating a culture of racial intolerance that soon climaxed in lynchings and physical assault.
Frequent massacres were "symptomatic of the anti-Chinese feelings shared by many Americans at that time. The Chinese had been victims of prejudice and violence ever since they first began to come to the West in the mid-nineteenth century." (History) |
The media has always held immense power in shaping the relationship between citizens and immigrants, outsiders and refugees. However, this power is often manipulated to create negative perceptions surrounding immigrants that prompt hostility from citizens and prevent immigrants from fully integrating into their new environment, further emphasising their image of isolation.