美國是移民組成的國家，移民與族裔關係為美國社會與學界所關注的重要課題。本文透過對美國不同階段移民的介紹，梳理美國社會從主流的英（歐）裔社會的同化觀、1960年代民權運動興起所帶動有關少數族裔與移民文化研究的「多元主義」，到1980 年代後以族裔認同為特點，提倡各族裔文化應處於地位平等，同為美國社會共同組成元素之一的「多元文化主義」之間的轉變。
The United States of America is a nation composed by immigration. It makes the study of immigration and interracial relationship become overwhelmingly crucial in American academia. This essay traces back the history of different immigration groups to the U.S. since late eighteenth century, while investigates how the American society (based on the core of WASP), responded differently with systematic stereotype and theoretical perspectives: from the birth of melting-pot theory based on the bias of European whites upon non-whites, the emergence of pluralism in accordance with the studies of minorities following the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s, as well as the rise of multi-culturalism underscoring the genuine equality of different ethnic groups in the aftermath of 1980s.
