Assimilation Advantages, Disadvantages, Failure. Case Study: Assimilation of the Jewish Ethnicity
Assimilation Advantages, Disadvantages, Failure. Case Study: Assimilation of the Jewish Ethnicity

Author(s): Enikő Balázs-Széles
Subject(s): Environmental Geography
Published by: Presa Universitara Clujeana
Keywords: assimilation; Jews; Jewish history; anti-Semitism; minority;
Summary/Abstract: Cultural assimilation is a complex process by which a minoritygroup adopts the cultural characteristics of the nation within which itlives. This integration may be voluntary or due to social pressures. Thepresent study aims to trace the process of assimilation of Jews startingwith the 18th century in Hungary and Transylvania, respectively, ina European context. The study aims to analyse the elements that facilitatedor hindered this process. It also aims to assess the impact ofassimilation on the cultural and social identity of the Jewish community.Research is based on historical approaches using secondary sourcesand previous studies. The case study focuses on specific periods andregions, the last decades of the 18th century until 1946, in Europe, generallydetailing Hungary and Transylvania. The analysis indicates thatJewish assimilation had advantages, but the magnitude of negative effectsovershadowed privilege.

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