Reading Practice Test: Migration, Diaspora, and Identity

Boost Your Reading Score: Migration and Identity

Welcome! Today’s reading passage delves into the complex and fascinating world of sociology, exploring how migration shapes cultural identity. When you encounter academic texts like this on your exam, focus on understanding the key definitions. The passage will introduce several important terms (like “diaspora” and “transnationalism”). Make sure you understand how the author defines and uses them.

Another key skill is to follow the argument. The author will build a case about how identity is not static but is actively “negotiated.” Look for transition words that show how ideas connect. To simulate exam conditions, try to read the text and answer all 10 questions in 20 minutes or less. Let’s get started.

Reading Passage

[ppp_patron_only level=5]

The interconnectedness of the modern world, often discussed under the umbrella of globalization, is most vividly embodied in the phenomenon of human migration. The movement of people across borders, whether driven by economic necessity, political instability, or personal ambition, is a defining feature of our time. This process, however, extends far beyond the physical act of relocation. It initiates a complex and often lifelong process of cultural negotiation for the migrant, and it leads to the formation of diasporic communities that reshape both their host societies and their homelands. Central to this entire dynamic is the fluid and evolving concept of cultural identity.

Historically, cultural identity was often viewed as a static and monolithic concept, tied inextricably to one’s place of birth and ancestry. A person’s identity was seen as a fixed inheritance. However, contemporary sociological perspectives, informed by the study of migration, have challenged this view. They posit that identity is not something one simply possesses, but something that is actively and continuously constructed and negotiated. For a migrant, identity becomes a site of intense negotiation. They must navigate the cultural norms, languages, and social structures of their new home while simultaneously maintaining—or redefining—their connection to their culture of origin.

This process gives rise to the concept of the diaspora. The term, originally used to describe the historical dispersion of the Jewish people, is now used more broadly to refer to any community of people living outside their ancestral homeland but who maintain a strong, sentimental, and material connection to it. Diasporic identity is characterized by a “dual consciousness.” Members of a diaspora may participate fully in the life of their host country, yet they retain a collective memory and a shared myth of their homeland. This connection is not merely nostalgic; it is actively maintained through cultural practices, religious observances, family ties, and, increasingly, digital communication.

The advent of modern technology has transformed the diasporic experience, giving rise to what scholars call transnationalism. Unlike migrants of previous centuries, who may have had to sever most ties with their homeland, contemporary migrants can exist in a state of virtual co-presence. Through inexpensive international calls, social media, and 24-hour news channels, they can remain deeply engaged in the political, social, and familial life of their country of origin. This fosters transnational identities, where individuals see themselves as members of several societies at once. They might vote in their homeland’s elections, invest in its economy, and consume its media, all while being physically resident in another nation.

This negotiation of identity can manifest in various ways. Some individuals may pursue a path of assimilation, gradually adopting the cultural practices of the host society and shedding those of their homeland. Others may experience hybridity, creating a new, blended identity that incorporates elements from both cultures. This cultural hybridity is often a source of immense creativity, contributing to new forms of music, art, literature, and cuisine. Ultimately, the study of migration and diaspora reveals that identity is not a zero-sum game, where adopting a new identity requires erasing the old. Instead, it is a rich, additive process of becoming, one that continually redefines the self in relation to both “here” and “there.”

Reading Quiz

[/ppp_patron_only]

Keywords & Phrases

1. Embodied: (verb) To be the embodiment of something means to be a tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling. We said migration “vividly embodied” the idea of interconnectedness, meaning it’s a perfect real-world example of it.
2. Monolithic: (adjective) This describes something that is large, powerful, and indivisibly uniform, as if made from a single stone. We used it to describe the outdated view of identity as a “static and monolithic concept.”
3. Posit: (verb) This is a formal verb that means to put forward as a basis for argument. We said contemporary perspectives “posit that identity is not something one simply possesses,” meaning this is the core argument they are making.
4. Diaspora: (noun) This refers to a population of people who were scattered from their original homeland. As the passage explains, these communities maintain a strong connection to their place of origin.
5. Nostalgic: (adjective) This describes a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past. We said the diasporic connection is “not merely nostalgic,” meaning it’s more than just a sweet memory; it’s an active, living connection.
6. Transnationalism: (noun) This is a social phenomenon and scholarly research agenda describing the way contemporary migrants maintain significant, active connections to their home countries thanks to modern technology.
7. Virtual co-presence: (phrase) This describes the state of feeling present in two or more places at once, enabled by technology. We used it to explain how a migrant can live in one country but be deeply engaged in the life of another.
8. Assimilation: (noun) This is the process by which a person or group’s language and/or culture come to resemble those of another group. In the passage, it’s one possible path of identity negotiation for a migrant.
9. Hybridity: (noun) In sociology, this refers to the process of mixing different cultural influences to create a new, blended or “hybrid” culture and identity.
10. Zero-sum game: (idiom) This refers to a situation in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other, so the net change is always zero. We used it to say identity is not a zero-sum game, because you can add a new identity without losing your old one.