The Problem of the Marginal Man

Author(s): Everett V. Stonequist

Reviewed work(s):
Source: American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jul., 1935), pp. 1-12
Published by: The University of Chicago Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2768176 .
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THE AMERICAN
JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
VOLUMEXLI

JULY 1935

NUMBER I

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINAL MAN'

EVERETT V. STONEQUIST
Skidmore
College
ABSTRACT
The marginalman arises in a bi-culturalor multi-culturalsituation.The natural
desireof the mixed-bloodis to advance towardthe groupoccupyingthe higherstatus.
He maybe forcedto accept thestatusofthelowergroup,possiblybecomingtheirleader.
He may be rejectedby both groups. Whereaccommodation,ratherthan conflict,
prethe mixedvails, the mixed-bloodmay constitutea middle class. With intermarriage
blood approximatesmorenearlyto the statusofthe dominantrace. The marginalindividual experienceswhat Du Bois has analyzed as "double consciousness."It is as ifhe
regardedhimselfthroughtwolooking-glasses
presentingclashingimages. The marginal
individualpasses througha life-cycle:introductionto the two cultures,crisis,and adjustment.The naturalhistoryinvolvesan initialphase witha small groupof marginal
individualswho are ahead of the minority.This groupincreases,and a movementdevelopshavingas a goal somekindofequalityand independence.The finaloutcomemay
be a new social framework;if assimilationis facilitated,the minoritymay be incorporated into the dominantgroup,or become the dominantgroup,and the cycleends.

Probablythe greatmajorityofindividualsin the worldlive and

have theirbeingwithina singleculturalsystem.Each individualis
likelyto be born,mature,and diewithintheboundaries
ofonetribal
or nationaltradition,
in one tongue,delearningto communicate
velopingloyaltiesto one sovereign
to the
government,
conforming
ofonemoralcode,believing
in thewayoflifeapproved
expectations
byonereligion.The deepestpartofhispersonality-his
sentiments,
ofself,styleoflife,and aspirations,
conception
whether
articulate
or
consciousorunconscious-areformed
inarticulate,
outofandidentiI This paper is designedmerelyto outlineverybroadlythe theoryor hypothesis
of
the marginalman. The supportingdetails and factual materials,firstdevelopedin a
Universityof Chicago thesis,are being revisedforthe purposeof publication.

OF SOCIOLOGY
THE AMERICANJOURNAL

patternsof the socialherifiedwiththesemoreor less harmonious

ofmaterialcultureitis truethathiswelltage. Fromthestandpoint
economic
system;butthe
beingtodayis at themercyofa world-wide
in a muchmore
are formed
elementswhichmakeup hispersonality
system.He is English,French,Japanese,American.This
restricted
nationsand
culture--of
systemofnon-material
restricted
relatively
of course,escapesomeinnerculturalconflicts
nationality--cannot,
it has a
to thedegreethatit is dynamic.Nevertheless,
inproportion
foreach
andharmony,
towardunity,consistency,
tendency
powerful
facesa
nationalsystem,restinguponcommonhistoricalmemories,
each boundwithina framenationalsystems,
worldofotherstriving
and ethnoeconomicinterests,
institutions,
workof governmental
centricsentiments.
However,largelybecausethe economicsystemhas expandedso
muchmorerapidlythanhave the otheraspectsof culture,we find
today manyindividualsgrowingup in a morecomplexand less
initiatedinto
culturalsituation.They are unwittingly
harmonious
languages,politicalloyalties,moral
twoor morehistorictraditions,
individualsand
codes, and religions.Migrationhas transplanted
land
and
that
everycityis
nearlyevery
culturesto suchan extent
ofracesandnationalities.The individual
ofa melting-pot
something
faced,perwhogrowsup in sucha situationis likelyto findhimself
and decisionspeculiar
conflicts,
withproblems,
haps unexpectedly,
of thosewho are exThis is trueparticularly
to the melting-pot.
pectedto do mostof the melting,that is, thosewho belongto a
statusintheland.
minority
group,orto a groupwhichhas an inferior
or dominantgroupdoes notexpectto adjustitThe morepowerful
groupwhichis expectedto do
selfto theothers;it is thesubordinate
and assimilating-orremainapart.
the adjusting,conforming,
or minority
groupare
Some of the membersof the subordinate
able to live theirliveswithintheirowncultures,or at least to live
by thecultureofthe
notto be greatlydisturbed
in themsufficiently
ratherthan a socialreladominantgroup.They have a symbiotic
willbe smallorlarge
tionship.Others,however(and theproportion
inmorestrongly
findthemselves
dependingupon the conditions),
degroup.The personality
fluenced
and attractedby thedominant
both
velopmentof such individualsis of interestand significance

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINAL MAN

to theoretical
and practicalstudentsofhumanbehavior.Livingas
theirpersonalities
and careers
theydo, in betweenthetwocultures,
in
and linkedwithbothsystems.Theythusmirror
are interwoven
of
and
the
two
especially
theirownpersonalities
aspects
cultures,
therelationsofthetwocultures.
this
RobertE. Park2foridentifying
We areindebtedto Professor
personality
type,whichhe has calledthe "marginalman" and dein the cultural
finedas one who is "livingand sharingintimately
lifeand traditionsof two distinctpeoples,neverquite willingto
break,even if he werepermittedto do so, withhis past and his
traditions,
and not quite accepted,becauseof racialprejudice,in
thenewsocietyin whichhe nowseeksto finda place."3 Accepting
we may inthis broad statement,
withonlyminorqualifications,
intothenatureofthismarginalman,thevariations
in
quirefurther
and hislife-cycle.
type,thesocialsituationoutofwhichhe emerges,
Let us beginwiththe socialsituation,sinceit is thiswhichproWe have alreadyindicated
ducesthemarginaltypeofpersonality.
situation
a bi-cultural
(or multi-cultural)
its generalconfiguration:
in whichmembers
ofone culturalgroupareseekingto adjustthemselves to the groupwhichpossessesgreaterprestigeand power.
onewherethe
Two generaltypesofsituationmaybe distinguished:
culturaldifference
the
also includesa racial (biological)difference;
is purelycultural.Each ofthesecan be
secondwherethedifference
further
subdivided.
The firstof these marginalsituations,that involvinga racial
oftheproblem
difference,
affords
at firstglancea clearerconception
thandoesthesecond.Thisis particularly
trueas regardspersonsof
raciallymixedancestry.The individualof mixedbloodis likelyto
growup influenced
by the culturesof each of his parentalgroups.
of one culture,he is often
Even if his familylifeis predominantly
withtheothercultureor group.In
keenlyawareofhis connection
additionhe is apt to possesssomeofthephysicaltraitsofeachofthe
identify
tworaces. Othermembers
ofthecommunity
can therefore
himas ofmixeddescent.Consequently,
whateverracialprejudicesolicitudeto bitingconrangingfrommildaloofnessor Datronizing
"Migrationand the Marginal Man," AmericanJournalofSociology,May,
3Ibid., p. 892.

1928.

THE AMERICANJOURNAL
OF SOCIOLOGY

tempt-existsin the community

towardmixedpersonswillsooner
or laterimpingeuponhis consciousness.
The typeof lifehe leads,
thenatureofhisachievements
or failures,
hisconception
ofhimself,
and his socialattitudeswillinevitablyreflect
thefactthathe is of
mixedrace,and whateverthat factmeansin any particularcommunity.
The statusof the mixedpersonis not a uniform
one. Generally
speaking,
itis somewhere
betweenthetwoparent-races.
In theearly
stagesofmixture
one can scarcelyspeakofa clearstatus: thefirst
mixed-bloods
are anomaliesforwhichthe socialorganization
is unprepared.The particular
constellation
offorcesat workin thecommunitygraduallydefinesa status.From the subjectiveside the
initial,naturaldesireof the mixed-blood
withany ambitionis to
advancetowardthegroupwhichoccupiesthehigherstatus.Sharing
its blood,and at least someof its culture,he feelsthathe belongs
withit,orcloseto it. The extentofhisadvancewillthenbe limited,
forpossibleinherited
excepting
differences,
by socialconditions.
In the case ofan illegitimate
childthe absenceof thefatherwill
tendto placethechildin themother'sgroup.Sincethebloodofthe
whiterace has been generallyintroducedby men ratherthan by
women,thismeansthatthechildwillbe caredforby thenon-white
group.In themodernperiodofracemixture,
thisis almostalways
thegroupor raceoflowerstatus.Whereracialintermarriage
is forbidden,theresultis similar;but in certainrespectsthestatusmay
be evenlower,reflecting
thehostilemores.Thus,in thecase ofthe
AmericanNegro,thecolorlineis so rigidlydrawnthatthemulatto
mustacceptthestatusoftheNegro,or at bestthatoftheleaderof
theNegro;and thisis trueno matterhow"white"he actuallyisunless,of course,he is so whitein appearancethathe can "pass"'
as a whiteperson.
The mixed-blood,
doesnotalwaysbecometheleaderof
however,
in thecase oftheAmeritheweakerrace. Thisrole,so conspicuous
can mulatto,merelyindicatesthepeculiarAmericansituation.The
slavesystemdeprivedtheNegroofhisAfrican
culturalheritageand
forcedhim to accept the Americancultureand its values. The
has admulatto,owingin partat least to historicalcircumstances,
in thisdirection;consequently,
vancedfurther
whenfacedby that

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINAL MAN

becategoricattitudeofthewhiteracewhichmakesno distinction
assumeda
tweenpureNegroesand mixedpersons,he has gradually
shareoftheleadershipofthedarkerrace.4
morethanproportionate
occupiesa different
In otherpartsof the worldthe mixed-blood
position.In India,forexample,theEurasiancannotentereitherof
of
Each of the twomainracesis contemptuous
theparent-groups.
mixedindividuals.The Eurasianclingsto thecoat ofthealoofbut
despisestheIndian,and is heartilydespised
Englishman,
retreating
himlittleor no
in turn.The growthof Indian nationalismoffers
Eurasian
future;it increaseshis social isolation.As an intelligent
amongourselveswe
has stated,"To theEuropeanwe arehalf-caste,
are no caste,and to the Indianwe are outcaste."5
and conflict
oftheracesis lesssevere,the
Wherethecompetition
mixedgroupmay have a positioncloserto the dominantrace. In
or
certaincolonialareaswherewhitemencometo live temporarily,
else live as a capitalistic-nota working-class,the mixed-blood
a middleclass in status.The whitegroupis
groupapproximates
and it mayfinda
it occupiestheleadingpositions,
smallin number,
usefulbothfroman economicstandmiddleclass of mixed-bloods
pointand becauseit acts as a "buffer"groupseparatingthe two
ratherthanconunmixed
races. In thiscase,whereaccommodation,
of
developsthetraits theconformist
flict,prevails,themixed-blood
anxiousto preservehis superiorstatus.In Java,forexample,the
civil
has beendescribedas "usuallytemperate,
averagemixed-blood
devotedto
hospitable,and essentially
to the pointof sycophancy,
Again,the cool attitudeof Jamaicanmulattoesor
his family."6
movement
"colored"peopleto MarcusGarvey's"Back-to-Africa"
oftheirpreference
forthestatusquo.7
indication
was an illuminating
situationshouldbe noted: thatwhere
Another
typeofmixed-race
See E. B. Reuter,The Mulattoin theUnitedStates (Boston, I9I8).
Quotedin Mary H. Lee, "The Eurasian: A Social Problem"(thesisin theUniversity
of Chicago Library),p. io.
6 H. J. Scheuer,quoted in S. H. Roberts,PopulationProblems
ofthePacific(London,
4

I927),

p. 378.

In his Philosophyand Opinionsof Marcus Garveyor Africafor theAfricans,compiled by AmyJacques-Garvey,Vol. II (New York, I926), Garveywrites: "I was openly
hated and persecutedby some of these coloredmen of the island who did not want to
be classifiedas Negroes,but as white. They hated me worsethan poison" (p. I27).
7

THE AMERICAN JOURNALOF SOCIOLOGY

racialintermarriage
existsupon an extensivescale. Latin America
generallyand Hawaii are illustrations.
Such a situationdoes not
implythecompleteabsenceofraceprejudice,as somewriters
have
affirmed;
butit doeschangethecharacter
ofraceprejudice,
preventingor restricting
its institutionalization
and drivingit undercover,
whereit leads a precariousbut not insignificant
life. Here the
racialhybriddevelopsa somewhatmorediversified
character,rethe greaterfreedomof his position,and so approximates
flecting
morenearlyto the statusofthedominantrace.
variedas thesemixed-blood
situationsare,theyall
Significantly
and racialprejudice;and theyhavean
involvesomeculturalconflict
unsettled,
problematic
character.Thereis a pull and pressurefrom
bothsides. The personof mixedblood,by his dual biologicaland
culturalorigin,is identified
witheach group.His awarenessof the
thatin lookingat himself
conflict
situation,mildor acute,signifies
fromthe standpoint
of each grouphe experiences
the conflict
as a
runcounterto his feelings
of
personalproblem.Thus his ambitions
self-respect:
he wouldprefer
recognition
by thedominant
race,but
he resents
tooneraceis counteritsarrogance.A senseofsuperiority
to theotherrace. Prideand shame,
balancedbya senseofinferiority
love and hate,and othercontradictory
sentiments,
mingleuneasily
in hisnature.The twoculturesproducea dualpatternofidentificationand a dividedloyalty,and theattemptto maintainself-respect
transforms
these feelingsinto an ambivalentattitude.The individualmaypass in and out of each groupsituationseveraltimesa
is repeatedly
focuseduponeach groupattiday; thushis attention
or
tudeand hisrelationship
to it. A processofrepeatedstimulation
meaningful
conditioning
goes on whichbecomesof centralsignifiHis racialstatusis continually
called
cancein hislife-organization.
in question;naturallyhis attentionis turnedupon himselfto an
excessivedegree: thus increasedsensitiveness,
self-consciousness,
an indefinable
and variand race-consciousness,
malaise,inferiority
are commontraitsin the marginal
ous compensatory
mechanisms,
person.The giftedmulatto,Dr. Du Bois,8has analyzedtheproblem
in termsofa "doubleconsciousness":
"..... the Negrois a sortof seventhson, bornwitha veil, and giftedwith
second-sightin this Americanworld-a worldwhichyieldshim no true self8W. E. B. Du Bois, TheSoulsofBlackFolk(Chicago, I903), p. 3.

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINAL MAN

consciousness,but onlylets himsee himselfthroughtherevelationofthe other

thissenseofalways
world. It is a peculiarsensation,thisdouble-consciousness,
lookingat one's selfthroughthe eyes of others,ofmeasuringone's soul by the
tape ofa worldthatlookson in amusedcontemptand pity. One everfeelsthis
two-ness-an American,a Negro; two souls, two thoughts,two unreconciled
strivings;two warringideals in one dark body,whose dogged strengthalone
keepsit frombeingtornasunder.

ofCooley'slookofDu Bois suggestsa development

The statement
The processof seeingone's selfreing-glasstheoryof personality.
flectedin theattitudesofotherstowardone is so habitualwiththe
individualthathe is unawareofit; it requiresa Cooleyto
ordinary
discoverand describethe process.But withthe marginalperson,
betweentwolooking-glasses,
it is as ifhe wereplacedsimultaneously
a different
imageofhimself.The clashin theimages
eachpresenting
cannothelp but make the individualsomewhatconsciousof the
process-consciousof the two mirrorsand consciousof the two
clashingimages.
to racialhybridsituations.
has beenconfined
So farthediscussion
however,
provesuponanalysisto be rather
The factofracemixture,
incidental.The racialhybridis likelyto be a marginalcharacter,
ofbloodviewedas a biologicalfact,but
notbecauseofhis mixture
his
mixture
because
places him in a certainsocial situation.The
whencomparisons
is strengthened
are
validityofthisinterpretation
made withindividualsof unmixedrace occupyinga similarsocial
situation.
Withoutmakinga detailedor extensiveanalysis,is it not clear
who has lefthis homecultureand is not yet
that the immigrant
intothenewsituation
an unfriendmay,ifhe encounters
assimilated
ofmany
ly attitude,becomea marginalman? The autobiographies
have
had
social
when
beyond
contacts
they
especially
immigrants,
are best understoodfromthisgeneral
the immigrant
community,
thenthechildren
ofimmigrantsstandpoint.If nottheimmigrant,
arein thisposition.Thisis likely
thesecondgeneration-frequently
to happenwhenthechildren
adopt,as theyreadilydo, thenewculturemorerapidlythantheirparents,and whenthe cultureof the
latterstandsin sharpcontrastwiththatofthenewland. The diffiis further
increasedwhenracialdiffercultyofthesecondgeneration
in the case of
encesare added to the usual culturaldifferences-as

THE AMERICAN JOURNALOF SOCIOLOGY

second-generationOrientals in America. They are then neither

Orientalsnor Americansin a full sense, and may feel themselvesto
be, in the wordsof a youngman of Japanese descent,a "lost generation." Their undeterminedstatus also gives rise to a bafflingambivalence of mood and sentimentwhich reflectiveintrospectioncan
sometimescatch and throwinto relief.For example, an intelligent
Chinesegirlin Hawaii describedherfeelingsabout
second-generation
the "Haoles" (the white Americangroup,chieflyNordic and upper
class) as follows:
.... Althoughtheyare in morecomfortable
circumstances,
my individualism does notpermitme to desireto be a haole-only at bittermomentswhena
haole is preferred
just because he is a haole. I may be only Chinese,but I
am I .
The haole needn'tthinkhe's so "blamed almighty."When I am
notamused,his condescension
aggravatesme and I hate him. Then I am sorry
forhim,forhis parentshad firedhis baby brainwithrace superiority.
as
SometimesI findmyselfwantingto commandhis respectand recognition
a socialequal. I analyzedthatfeeling.Fromwheredid it come? Is it because
I wantto be "someone" in a societywherehaolesare theprominent
ones? Is it
because it wouldbe a goldenchance to show offto my less fortunateoriental
to standapartfromthe wholecomplexsubfriends?I wonder.It is so difficult
jectiveset-upof reactionsand feelingtones.
he wouldneverinviteme to dinneror to a
Even ifhe shouldbecomefriendly,
party. Oh, no! Whoeverdid such a thing!I'm yellow!
Please do not thinkthat I'm bitter,forthis attitudeholds trueonlywhen
thereare a thousandhaoles (as a mass), and not forindividuals.The best of
myhaole friends(thosewhoare olderand consequentlyhave had morecontact
withpeoples of otherraces) treatme like a humanbeing. I have spentmany
happy week-endswiththem-swimmingand playingtogether,havingtete-atetes over a tea table on an afternoon,consumingchickendinners,singing
hymns,and spendingthe nightor the weekwiththem.
Aside fromthosewhohave nothingto boast ofand yet act as iftheydo, the
haole as I associatewithhimbecomesa verylikableperson.Afterall, we must
brother.
not judge the haole by his lowly,narrow-minded
I rememberwhenI was in schoolthe firsttwelveyears,I simplydreaded
beingcalled "haolified."Everyonetalkedabout you if you triedto speak like
a haole or put on the airs ofa haole. The Portuguesewhotriedto pass offas a
haole was hooted down. Do you see how we magnifiedthe arroganceof the
generalrunofhaoleshereand shutout ofthepictureourlovelywhiteteachers?
I too have been prejudiced.Sometimesthis childishidea of dreadingto seem
haolifiedcropsup and I reproachmyself.
It isn't bad beinga haole,but I'd ratherbe myself.

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINALMAN

The Jewis likelyto be a typical marginalman. Perhaps the factors in his situation are the most complex. His is the traditional
minoritygroup. He is the perennialimmigrant.His childrenare apt
to have the second-generationproblems. Popularly regarded as a
race, the Jews are felt to be unassimilable. (Consider the Nazi
ideology.) An individualof part-Jewishancestrymay be thoughtof
in termssimilarto the mixed-blood.Besides being a distinctivereligious group, they are viewed by many Christians as "Christkillers." Centuriesof social conflict,combinedwith theirtenacious
historicalmemories,have produced a group consciousnesswhich in
turnsuspects and resistsassimilationtendencieswhichgo beyond a
certain point. It is little wonder,then, that the Jew becomes the
classicillustrationofthisproblem,just as he has been mostarticulate
in expressingit.
The marginal type may emerge among a people who have not
themselves emigrated but instead have been subject to invasion
fromwithout. The expansionof Westernpeoples duringthe modern
periodof historyhas been the main factorin creatingthis situation.
Besides the racial hybrid,thereis also the unmixedculturalhybrid.
Missionarieshave been instrumentalin producingsuch individuals:
the convertwho is no longeradjusted to his native group and yet is
not fullyat home or accepted by the whitegroup. Colonial administratorshave noted the difficulties
connectedwith Westernizednatives-"Europeanized Africans," for instance. Incidentally, it is
that such termsare applied to Westernizedindividualsof
significant
both mixed and unmixeddescent: apparentlythe fact of race mixture is not the crucial one. Modern nationalisticmovementscan be
understoodbest in termsof a reactionto such culturalhybridization.
This is recognizedby some of the leading studentsof India, forexample. It may be pertinentto note what the East India Calcutta
UniversityCommissionhad to say concerningthe effectsof English
education upon the studentsof Bengal:
The Bengalistudent,likemanya studentin otherlands,feelsuponhis mind
the pull of two loyalties,the loyaltyto the old orderand loyaltyto the new.
ofcombining
thesetwoloyaltiesis verygreat. Each
But inhis case thedifficulty
to him. He findsit hardto lightupon
loyaltyneedsfullerand clearerdefinition
it is oftenhis fateto lead what
any real adjustmentbetweenthem. Therefore,

Io

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

is in effect
a doubleintellectual
life.He is two-minded
andlivesa parallellife
in theatmosphere
oftwocultures.9
Naturally the marginalindividual is not identical in all his personalitytraitsin all situations,nor even withinone situation. What
is heretermed"marginal" representsa processof abstraction,a core
of psychologicaltraits which are the inner correlatesof the dual
pattern of social conflictand identification.The intensityof the
innerconflictvaries with the situationitself,the individual experience with this situation,and perhaps certaininheritedtraits. With
some individuals,it appears to be a minorproblem;in such cases one
cannot speak of a "personalitytype." It is onlyin those cases where
the conflictis intenseand of considerabledurationthat the personality as a whole is orientedaround the conflict.The individualthen
seems almost to be "obsessed" with his problem; his moods are reshaped. Then, in spiteof the variationsin race and culture,the type
is clearlydelineated.
Anotherimportantdistinctionshould be emphasized: the existence of a life-cycle.The traits of the individual vary considerably
with the stage of development.Three stages can be defined: First,
there is a stage of preparationwhen the individual is being introduced into the two cultures. In a generalway thisrepresentsat least
some assimilationinto the two cultures. Without at least partial
assimilationthe individualwould not later experiencethe conflictof
loyalties. This assimilationis often an unwittingprocess in which
the individual does not realize he is taking over two cultures. At
this periodhe is not consciousof a personalityproblem;usually this
stage is confinedto childhood.
The second stage has the characterof a "crisis": the individual,
throughone or moredefiningexperiences,becomes aware of the cultural conflictwhichinvolveshis own career. I'his may be the result
of a singleexperiencewhich climaxesa process of summation,or it
may dawn in a more gradual and imperceptiblemannernot clearly
recallable by the subject. The typical traits of the marginal man
arise out of the crisis experienceand in response to the situation.
is seriouslydisturbed. Confusion,
The individual'slife-organization
and estrangementmay reeven shock,restlessness,disillusionment,
sult; a new self-consciousness
develops to mirrorthe newlyrealized
9 Reportof theEast

India CalcuttaUniversity
Commission(Calcutta, I9I9),

p.

128.

THE PROBLEM OF THE MARGINAL MAN

II

situation.The individualtakes the attitudeof the two groups

ofa
towardeach otherand towardhimself
and becomessomething
dividedpersonality.
Naturallyhe does not remainpassive; some
at least is made at readjustment.
effort
situaSuch a problematic
as JohnDeweyhas
tionis indeedpeculiarlyconduciveto thought,
madeclearin otherconnections.
Perhapsthisis one reasonforthe
frequentsuperiority
shownby the Jewand the mixed-blood,
for
instance.
The thirdstage consistsof the moreenduringresponsesof the
individualto the situation.In general,the individualmay evolve
in severaldifferent
directions.He may continuetowardthe dominant groupand perhapseventuallysucceedin becomingan acceptedmember.In thiscase the conflict
ends,or merelyechoesrecurrently
as a memory.This solutionis morelikelyto occurwhere
thereis no biologicalbarrier."Passing"is a moreuncertain
solution.
Anotherpossibility
lies in movingin the otherdirection,
throwing
one's lot withthe subordinate
group,if it in turnis willing.The
marginalindividual'sdual contactsmay give him an advantage,
makinghima leader.Resentment
mayspurhimto fightthedominantgroup;he becomesa "revolutionary,"
oraggressive
nationalist.
If his attentionis centeredon raisinghis owngroupby someother
method,he mayappearin theroleofconciliator,
reformer,
teacher,
etc. Suchrolescontribute
to organizeand givedirection
to thepreviouslydisturbedor disorganized
individual,even thoughtheydo
not alwayscreatecompleteinnerharmony.In yetotherinstances
neitherof the foregoing
coursesis taken;theremay thenbe withorremoval-thelastdifficult
to achieveexcept
drawalandisolation,
perhapsby escapeto anotherland (American
Negroes,forinstance,
fromraceprejudice).Again,
profess
to findFrancea havenofrefuge
theintermediate
be largeenough
group-say,ofmixed-bloods-may
to afford
a moderately
satisfying
life;indeed,thefuturemaybelong
to it. In individualcases certainrolesofadjustment,
investigation,
creativescience,and artenabletheindividualto profit
byhisspecial
it. The stimuposition,and perhapsease theproblemby expressing
ormind.IoWith
lusofthesituation
maycreatea superior
personality
IOA notionthat the marginalman is necessarily"abnormal,"unhappy,or otherwise
unfortunateappears to have arisen. This is a misconceptionof the facts,a narrowing
of the conceptto the moredisorganizedcases.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

I2

doesnotappearto be resolvedexceptfortemporary
sometheconflict
periods,and withothersit initiatesa processof disorganization
crime,suicide
whichfindsexpressionin statisticsof delinquency,
That thetraitsofthemarginalman,as well
and mentalinstability.
as his attitudetowardhis position,shouldvaryin thisthirdstage
at thistime.
is perhapsso obviousthatit needsno development
so thereis a natural
fortheindividual,
Justas thereis a life-cycle
forthesituation.The initialphaseinvolvesa smallgroupof
history
or submarginalindividualswho are muchahead of the minority
and
ordinategroup.This favorsthe processof theiridentification
assimilationwith the dominantrace; it is about the only road.
Graduallythegroupofmarginalpersonsincreasesand theminority
andideas. It makesprogress
raceitselfbeginstostirwithnewfeelings
and self-respect.
race
Then,ifthedominant
in culturaldevelopment
in itspositionand attitudesofsuperiority,
continuesintransigently
themsomeof the marginalindividualsswingabout and identify
definethe situationand
selveswiththe risinggroup.Theyfurther
nationalistic,
acceleratethe movement.In thismanner,nativistic,
evolvefromtricklesintotideswhichhave as
and racialmovements
The finalouttheirgoalssomekindof equalityand independence.
a newrace,nationalcomemaybe a newsocialframework-perhaps
is
ity,caste,or evena newstate. On theotherhand,ifassimilation
intothe
the minority
groupis eventuallyincorporated
facilitated,
dominantgroup,or theminority
group(say,ofmixedbloods)may
growand becomethe dominantgroup,and the particularcycle
comesto an end.
part.
In anycase,themarginal
manis likelyto havean important
in thistypeof culturalchange.Fromthe
He is thekey-personality
then,thestudyofthemarginalmanis obviouspracticalviewpoint,
the standpointof theoretical
From
science,his lifely significant.
a methodforstudyingthe culturalprocessfromthe
historyoffers
mental,as wellas objective,side. In thewordsofPark,"It is in the.
man-wherethechangesandfusions
mindofthemarginal
ofculture
can
on-that
we
best
are going
studythe processesof civilization
and progress."II
II

Op.

cit.,p. 893.