Social Capital and the Adaptation of the Second Generation: The Case of Vietnamese Youth in New Orleans

This article investigates some of the ways in which social capital made available in an immigrant community contributes to, rather than hinders, the adaptation of the younger generation, in school and afterward. We contrast the assimilationist view with alternative arguments on ethnic resources as social capital. Based on a case study of Vietnamese youth in an immigrant community in eastern New Orleans, we explore how aspects of an immigrant culture serve as a form of social capital to affect the adaptational experiences of immigrant offspring. We have found that students who have strong adherence to traditional family values, strong commitment to a work ethic, and a high degree of personal involvement in the ethnic community tend disproportionately to receive high grades, to have definite college plans, and to score high on academic orientation. These values and tenavioral and associational patterns are consistent with the expectations of their community and reflect a high level of social integration among Vietnamese youth. The findings indicate that strong positive immigrant cultural orientations can serve as a form of social capital that promotes value conformity and constructive forms of behavior, which provide otherwise disadvantaged children with an adaptive advantage. We conclude that social capital is crucial and, under certain conditions, more important than traditional human capital for the successful adaptation of younger-generation immigrants.