Essay An Ethnic History of Europe Since 1945

Culture is the Backbone of a society, when something/someone tries to alter it or go against it everyone will notice. In this issue pointed out by Ruth Macklin, we look at the problems that can arise when an individual’s culture and autonomy clash. Every year there at least 30 million immigrants from all over the world that move to the United states of America, making America one of the most culturally diverse country in the world. Keeping this in mind, we will focus on Ruth Macklin’s issue of Multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is the co-existence of diverse cultures, where culture includes racial, religious, or cultural groups and is manifested in customary behaviors, cultural assumptions and values, patterns of thinking, and communicative styles. Critics argue that we associate culture with a society, community and or family, but rarely with a single individual, thus placing it above the individual person. In this paper we are going to look at four different scenarios on from Ruth Macklin’s article.

Max Weber’s concept of “monopolistic closure” has been extremely influential in the analysis of ethnic relations in contemporary societies. Malesevic (2004) best describes Weber’s theory of monopolistic closure as a way of distinguishing between the open and closed relationships within society. Weber believed that ethnicity played a vital role in the identification of individuals as it was used as a device to distinguish between groups in modern society. However, through the works of Durkheim and Marx, it can be suggested that the concept of monopolistic closure holds limited analysis when understanding ethnic relations in contemporary society. The constant evolution of society now means ethnicity no longer plays such a vital role in the identification

Race and ethnicity is another important aspect in the nationalism of a nation. In the United States, racial differences are usually based on one’s skin color and physical characteristics as well as one’s origin, and they do not change due to varying classes or cultures (Marger 212). Before the twenty first century, the racial minority were highly discriminated, both socially and economically. But currently, there exist several races in America like the Asians, African Americans, Native Americans and the European Americans. On the other hand, Hispanics are racially assorted and are therefore an ethnic group rather than a race (Marger 133). Language is argued as the sole binder of the Hispanics other than skin color or other physical characteristics. They are in fact of mixed racial ancestry (Arreola 19).

Within a single culture there are differences based on religion, politics, nationality, race, and ideology that go largely unassumed by its members. This leads to people defining others in ways that are entirely inaccurate. Members of these imagined communities who live without their identities being recognized by the larger majority are very similar to the subordinate, more “primitive” cultures that exist in the world in the sense that most of the time, they go unacknowledged by larger, more advanced powers. When these subsidiary entities are unable to make themselves known, they simply become easily influenced by higher powers since they tend to become “a quiescent, ignorant, manipulable electorate” (Pratt, 510). It is vital that these marginalized peoples learn to make themselves heard, for there are many principles and ideas that can be learnt from them.

Ending of this Introduction to Ethnic course I will discuss of two key learning moments that will stay with me upon my departure from this course. I also will discuss of learning tools that help guided me through this course. In addition, I will discuss of what I had gained fromthe two moments of learning. Lastly, I will share how I can continue to learn and discuss about ethnic-studies related issues.

Most of the ethnic groups that have different value and belief systems in Canada are immigrants, and the process in which they become detach from their homeland and integrate into the Canadian society makes them feel different sense of their identity. In other words, the heterogeneous essence of the new society, and the inherent characteristic of the identity which is not constant and immutable, rather it is subject to dramatic variation across time and place make the ethnic identification even more important. This ethnic identification generates a sense of belonging in a diverse society. Moreover, the issues of power and identity in Canadian context show that how ethnic groups fit within the social stratification system. It seems that different

Lawrence W. Levine approaches the issue of ethnic relations in a slightly different light in his book, “The Opening of the American Mind”. He focuses on the two central components of the entire matter: One-way Assimilation (the melting pot ideology) and Cultural Pluralism, given that the two other models (Ethnic

Race is one of many key factors that influence the historic relationship between classes, ethnicity, immigrants, bodies, and the state, specifically when it comes to notions of citizenship. The articles, Perils of Degeneration, Hygiene and "The Indian Problem", Nationalizing Children through Schools and Hygiene, Puffy, Ugly, Slothful and Inert’, and The Vice Trust, all point to the function of popular perceptions of race in society, specifically how individuals are classified based on certain racial markers. All of these articles surround the theme in which notions of race influenced political and social responses in both the United States and Latin America.

Michael Omi and Howard Winant’s arguments from “Racial Formations” are about how race is socially constructed and is shown in Caucasia by Danzy Senna. Michael Omi and Howard Winant believe that race is socially constructed in society; therefore, the meaning of race varies within different cultures and societies. According to Omi and Winant, influences such as, media, school, politics, history, family and economy create society’s structure of race. In Caucasia, media, family and school are forces that create race by stating how one should conform to social norms for different racial groups.

No diasporic community manifests all of these characteristics or shares with the same intensity an identity with its scattered ancestral kin. In many respects, diasporas are not actual but imaginary and symbolic communities and political constructs; it is we who often call them into being.” (Palmer)

Rarely do these entities attempt to introduce new, more accurate points of view on cultural relations. The media’s recycling of present cultural attitudes stagnates cultural relations in America. Although we have seen progress in our country’s legislation granting suffrage to blacks and women and various other civil rights measures, our attitudes towards multiculturalism today are not far removed from popular attitudes during the reconstruction era.

There is a growing of ethnic groups from non-European societies, who can meet Canadian economic development in term of their level of education, occupational skills and languages. Those ethnic groups are called immigrants because they are neither indigenous nor colonist settlers but are accepted through Canada’s immigration policy (Banting 2010). Even though diverse cultures and differences of minorities were recognized and celebrated within the bilingual framework during the multiculturalism policy of the 1970s, their full equal participations are still excluded from the mainstream society (Leung 2012).

Through the research of Hannah Ardent, it is considered that sovereignty has been used to forcefully assimilate minority populations of nations. Within her paper on the

Omi and Winant’s discussion from “Racial Formations” are generally about race being a social construct and is also demonstrated in the viewing of Race - The power of an illusion. Omi and Winant have both agreed that race is socially constructed in society. Ultimately this means that race is seen differently in different societies and different cultures. Media, politics, school, economy and family helps alter society’s structure of race. In the viewing , also media as well as history seemed to create race by showing how social norms have evolved in different racial groups.

Many circumstances oblige people to move from their native country to a foreign one. From this movement of migration have emerged many ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a restraint number of persons living in a larger society and sharing the same distinct cultural heritage. Some people tend to bury their habits and accommodate to the new way of life. However others hold on to their identity and try to identify their race and maintain it. This enriches societies and makes them multi-racial. Therefore, every ethnic group is essential to complete the mosaic. Although they are sometimes threatened, minorities must fight to preserve their principles. Why must they fight? Because racial identification has many positive impacts on the members.