This dissertation is a study of the political behavior of Arab Americans based on the Detroit Arab American Study of 2003. It examines the dependent variables of voting, writing to politicians and donating money to political campaigns. The independent variables include two socio-economic status (SES) variables: family income, and years of education; two acculturation variables: language ability and duration of stay; and they include the following demographic variables: age, birth country, mother's country of birth, father's country of birth, citizenship status, religion and gender. Several conclusions are suggested by the data. The SES model remains the dominant model of explaining political behavior, including the political behavior of Arab and Chaldean immigrants. Specific variables related to immigrant communities are important in explaining political participation. Language ability, duration of stay, immigrant generation and country of origin all help explain the political participation of members of the Arab and Chaldean immigrant communities. The second generation participates at a higher rate than the first generation--especially as to contacting politicians and contributing to political campaigns. Children of American-born mothers participate at a higher rate than the children of foreign-born mothers. The data suggests that to increase political participation of Arab and Chaldeans, efforts should be focused on the civic and English language education of the foreign- born mothers of Arab Americans and Chaldeans.
