Hungarian-Americans in St. Joseph County, Indiana: Implications of Ethnicity for Social Policy

Wim Wiewel

Expert InsightsPublished 1978

The frequently neglected issue of ethnicity in the formulation of social policies, such as housing assistance, is addressed in this paper in terms of an historical analysis of a single ethnic group: the Hungarian-Americans in St. Joseph County, Indiana. The author first describes the growth and decline of their neighborhoods to explain the patterns of their residential mobility, and then traces the historical development of their attitudes toward government, politics, and welfare. Three distinct periods of Hungarian history in St. Joseph County are covered: the period of adaptation to a new environment until the end of mass immigration; the period of the established community, which lasted approximately through the 1940s; and the period of the gradual decline of the ethnic community and its remaining strengths. The author concludes with a summary discussion of the Hungarians' values and beliefs as they are reflected in their attitudes toward the housing allowance program.

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Wiewel, Wim, Hungarian-Americans in St. Joseph County, Indiana: Implications of Ethnicity for Social Policy. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1979. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P6225.html.
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