U S More Diverse Than Ever Finds New Study Boundless

The United States is more racially and ethnically diverse than ever before, according to a new report. More than 96% of all counties in the United States saw an increase in their population diversity from 2010 to 2020, found the report from immigration advocacy group New American Economy, which examined data... Researchers analyzed the Census Bureau’s Diversity Index (DI), a tool that calculates increases in diversity by showing the likelihood that two residents in a given area will be of different races or ethnicities. Comparing the scores between 2010 and 2020 shows which counties have diversified the most. The top 10 counties that experienced the biggest increases in population diversity were located in North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, Nebraska, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas. Many counties that saw the greatest growth in diversity were small, rural communities that were almost entirely white just 10 years ago.

Williams County in North Dakota, which saw the greatest increase in diversity, more than doubled its DI score between the two census dates, and now counts one in four residents as Hispanic or non-white. The report credits the area’s “booming oil industry” for the increase. In Forsyth County, Georgia, a rapidly-growing Asian population increased the county’s DI score from 34.2% in 2010 to 55.2% in 2020. According to the report, Asian residents now make up 18% of the population, compared to 6.2% in 2010. Despite fears that more Americans believe in the "Great Replacement" theory, research shows that most citizens prefer an ethnically diverse USA. (Photo by William Perugini on Shutterstock)

COPENHAGEN — A new study offers a surprising counterpoint to widespread assumptions about American attitudes toward diversity. Rather than fearing demographic change, many Americans appear to favor a more diverse future, and that includes groups often portrayed as most resistant to such change. The research, published in the journal Ethos, surveyed nearly 1,000 Americans and found that two-thirds of respondents indicated a preference for a more ethnically and racially diverse United States than what currently exists. Notably, this included many White Christians, the demographic often cited in discussions around “Great Replacement” fears. Only 1.1% of respondents expressed a preference for an ethnically uniform America, while just 3.2% wanted a religiously homogeneous population. These findings challenge the narrative that demographic change is fueling widespread backlash among White Americans.

The Great Replacement theory, which claims White Christians are being systematically replaced by non-White immigrants, has been cited in several high-profile attacks, from Pittsburgh to Christchurch. Yet when researchers asked Americans to envision the ideal demographic makeup of their country, the results told a more complex story. Anyone using social media at the moment will likely be aware of the increasingly heated debates surrounding migration, identity, and national cohesion. It feels like everywhere you look, people are getting more divided over the question of how white and Christian America should be. But what if this division is really just an illusion? According to a new study, the majority of Americans actually want a more ethnically and religiously diverse society than they currently have.

It is only a very loud minority who think otherwise. To be sure, this a question that is not peculiar to the US. Across Europe, debates are bubbling up over issues related to ethnicity, racial identity, and religious diversity. But the question appears to be particularly incendiary in America due to recent political events and a decade of increased media attention on right-wing patriotic groups who want an ethnonational state. At the heart of many of these groups is the fear of the "great replacement", an ethnonationalist worldview and ideology that believes white Christians of European origin are being replaced by non-white, non-Christian immigrants. As with the wider social anxiety surrounding multiculturalism, fear of the great replacement is not just an American thing, but it has gained significant traction in the country in recent years.

For proponents of this myth, there is a belief that lower birthrates among white Christians have allowed non-white non-Christians to become the majority, leading to the degradation of “traditional” American values, beliefs, and practices. In some extreme cases, believers think this replacement is all part of some wider sinister conspiracy to cause demographic change. But while anxiety over this perceived phenomenon appears to be high at the moment, is it representative of how Americans really feel about multiculturalism? Not according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Yale University, and the University of Chicago. The researchers surveyed a representative sample of 986 American citizens and found some surprising results concerning views of multiculturalism. "We wanted to investigate whether the idea of a multicultural United States still has popular support – and it does, to a large extent," Séamus Power, associate professor at the Department of Psychology at...

The United States is experiencing a demographic shift unprecedented among major developed nations. Within a generation, no single racial or ethnic group will constitute a majority of the population. This transformation, driven by immigration, changing birth rates, and an aging population, presents economic opportunities and social challenges. This shift requires understanding the numbers, assessing the social and economic realities, and developing policies that ensure prosperity for all Americans. The term “majority-minority” describes more than statistics. It reflects how race and ethnicity have been defined and measured throughout American history.

These categories aren’t fixed biological realities but social and political constructs that have evolved over time. A majority-minority area is a geographic region where racial, ethnic, or religious minorities make up most of the local population. In the United States, this specifically means areas where fewer than 50% of residents are non-Hispanic whites. As national debates continue over identity, migration and cohesion, a new study reveals that a majority of Americans prefer a more ethnically and religiously diverse society than the one they currently inhabit. The research, published in the journal Ethos, surveyed 986 American citizens to gauge their perspectives on the actual and ideal composition of ethnic and religious groups in the United States. “We wanted to investigate whether the idea of a multicultural United States still has popular support – and it does, to a large extent,” lead author Séamus Power, an associate professor in the University...

According to the study, two-thirds of participants desired a more ethnically diverse America, while over half favored greater religious diversity. These findings persist across diverse political and religious spectrums, bringing unexpected insights into the national conversation. Interestingly, even among white Christian Americans — a group often associated with concerns about demographic changes described as “the great replacement” — a majority expressed support for increased diversity.

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