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people whose purpose for associating is primarily recreational, while
the Colombian associations are primarily made up of the middle class
whose purpose for associating is instrumental in achieving political
and economic objectives. The disparity between the culture of the
home country and that of the current residence is also an important
factor in encouraging the formation of associations. These associations
provide individual members with collective ways of drawing on their
previous experiences to confront new life situations. The transition
from a recreational association to an instrumental association gives
the push toward forging new links with the host society and results in
the pulling away of working class members who do not appear to be
interested in this type of association or who do not view it as
beneficial.
In tracing Dominican family networks within the Dominican Republic
and New York, Garrison and Weiss (1979) determine that the "decisions
to migrate and responses to the difficulties of urban life are frequently
made with both the needs and resources of the kin in mind" (pp. 264-265).
The definitions of kin are not the same for the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service and the Dominicans. The Dominicans consider
themselves to have extended, cooperating family structures. While
loyalty to consanguineous relations is considered important, cross-
generational cooperation and interdependence outside of consanguineous
lines are also used to define family structure for the Dominicans.
Wilson and Portes (1980) document the development of Cuban
immigrant enclaves whose work organization functions differently from
that of immigrants who follow the classic pattern of assimilation or