The motivation for and the successes and failures of Progressive Era settlement houses has been a topic of historical debate for years. Did the reformers, by and large, favor acculturation or multiculturalism? To what degree did Christianity and capitalism inspire the reformers? Were certain communities treated differently according to their race and ethnicity? Traditional interpretations generally frame the reformers in a positive light and emphasize that the reformers worked primarily to assist immigrants with their difficult transition to America. More recent scholarship has called the reformers’ motivation into question and argues that their ultimate concern was to achieve total assimilation of immigrants. For my review essay, I propose to examine several websites to explore whether or not they reflect this shift in emphasis. I may limit my review to an examination of Hull House, if I find that there is enough material on that particular settlement house.
Posted by Olivia at September 23, 2004 09:42 PM