Abstract
Demographic, economic, & social changes that have taken place in Monterey Park (outside Los Angeles, CA) since the late 1970s are studied, highlighting the community's reaction to the influx of Chinese immigrants. It is contended that three periods of demographic change can be documented in Monterey Park's history & that the arrival of thousands of Chinese immigrants has transformed the city's economic foundation. The proliferation of Chinese social & cultural elements within the city is also discussed. A historical overview of non-Chinese residents' reactions to the Chinese immigrants & of the politics of the city council since the early 1980s is presented. The question of whether theories of assimilationism, structural discrimination, ethnic solidarity, "ethclass," & racial formation can be faithfully applied to developments in Monterey Park is then addressed. The need to adopt a multifaceted approach when analyzing immigrant communities in the US that acknowledges the influence of global economic restructuring & the role of grassroots movements is stressed. 61 References. J. W. Parker