Defined by the English Oxford Living Dictionaries, the word multiculturalism can be seen as “The presence of, or supporting the presence of, several distinct cultural or thence groups within a society”. This is a common theme through our world. But the question may be arising, Can we live in a society where everyone is different and still function without discrimination? Next I’d like to hi-light the meaning of ‘culture’ and ‘failure’. Culture by Merriam-Websters definition, “The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group”. Failure by Merriam-Websters definition, “A state of inability to perform a normal function”. Some believe that multiculturalism has failed. It is self evident that in past years there’s much discrimination of non-natives, which will eventually lead to other things, such as racism, and violent attacks. Firstly, many cultures focus on themselves, how their culture is different from many other cultures. Therefore, this brings us to national assimilation, as cultures we shouldn’t be focused on how our culture is perhaps better, we are rather focused on what brings us together as a nation. Its basically our culture versus their culture, with multiculturalism in mine. In doing this, those in a specific society will only want to defend their culture. A prime example that Walter E. Williams, professor at George Mason Universe writes “trying to convert Muslims to Christianity is seen as a hate crime” This is not
Multiculturalism Explained In One Word: HAPA by Kristen Lee was a radio broadcast for Kristen Lee since she was leaving NPR’s intern program. The gift for her time was a segment where she could talk about anything that she wanted on the broadcast. Kristen’s broadcast followed the idea that people should not define who you are by your culture and ethnicity. Ms. Lee explains how she looks is not who she is, “ I’m a quarter Chinese and the rest is Swedish. From my appearance, people assume I am Asian, but how could a quarter measurement define who I am? “ (Lee 41). This evidence highlights that people stereotype her on how she looks, but that is not who she is as a person. She soon emphasizes how she personally benefited from being stereotyped,
Someone can live in a multicultural society and fit very well. Ethnocentrism entails being centered or considering your own culture as right, and negatively evaluating other people’s cultural practices. One can avoid being ethnocentric by striking a balance between cultures and tolerating other groups with their cultures without judging them based on their practices. Civilization and education systems have contributed a lot in impacting knowledge of cultural relativism to the young generations. This has been a vital tool to fight ethnocentrism, for instance, being an immigrant in the United States, where there are different cultures, it can be challenging. I have encountered a lot of cultural shock in the process of adjusting. There is a lot of difference between my culture, and the American culture. I have had to adapt some values, and just tolerate other norms so I can fit in the American society, and live in harmony with
Cultural Assimilation is the process in which a person 's and or groups ' culture comes to resemble that of another group. When most immigrants come to the Untied States they are heavily advised to take up English as their first language. You are advised to learn all about our government, how to drive, and the value of individualism. The idea of the Great Melting Pot is completely ironic to me. It gives the impression that we are all one big mixture of cultures. In reality the melting pot spreads thin all other cultures, but the American culture. Other cultures seem to be lost and assimilated into American ideologies and cultures. Cultural Assimilation for refugees and others, such as the Hmong can be incredibly difficult and life threatening.
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.
Several years ago, America was taught to be a 'melting pot,' a place where immigrants of different cultures or races form an integrated society, but now America is more of a 'salad bowl' where instead of forming an incorporated entity the people who make up the bowl are unwilling to unite as one. America started as an immigrant nation and has continued to be so. People all over the world come to America for several reasons. Most people come to America voluntarily, but very few come unwillingly. For whatever reasons they may have for coming they all have to face exposure to American society. When exposed to this 'new' society they choose whether to assimilate or not. Assimilation
Despite the all evidences that politics is allowing all kind of cultural diversity to grow within same territory. Those countries which have different cultures are trying to make their state a multicultural state in order to live with peace, for growth and development. This paper discusses about the past present and future of multiculturalism. Cultural diversity from very beginning was existing in different nation There are Jews in Germany, Poles in Ireland, Asians in Canada and so on but the level at which Multiculturalism have reached today became a political issue for those countries which have cultural diversities. People of different cultural diversity are enjoying the same rights and people are practicing different cultures as and extended form of their liberty. People have the freedom to do whatever they want but with in the framework of laws.So the people are exercising the libety of practicing their own culture.There is a discussion about remarkable history of multiculturalism, present position of multiculturalism and the future of multiculturalism. There is advancement is polity for a better sustainment of a country with diversity in culture of people. This popular master narrative is too quick to herald the death of multiculturalism, and mischaracterizes the nature of the experiments undertaken, exaggerates the extent to which they have been abandoned, and misidentifies not only the limitations encountered but also the options for addressing these
Assimilation is the manner in which people of a cultural group start to lose their individuality that makes them different from the more dominant culture, as they seek to fit in. America has been a melting pot of different cultures for centuries, whether it was by choice, forced or for a better life. History has proven that assimilation in America was not acceptable but that has changed over time.
As a nation we seem to expect everyone to assimilate into the “American Mainstream” by adopting our values, our politics, and our way of life. But assimilation is not a one-way street, and our culture is not done evolving. When two cultures meet, there should be a give and take from both sides - each one looking to learn something valuable from the other. No culture ever stops changing. We are constantly adopting new ideas and lifestyles. As travel is made easier and technology continues to connect the world, we are even more exposed to cultural input from other nations. It is incredibly ignorant to claim that any people group would be better off to abandon their own culture and adopt the culture of another nation, yet we have asked -- even forced -- Native Americans to do this for generations.
Fredrickson means that assimilationism tries to force one culture into accepting the “superiority, purity, and unchanging character of the dominant culture.” He gives an example of the “Native American cultural genocide” in regards to assimilationism. I agree, Assimilationism can force a culture to throw away part of its identity, values, and traditions.
Throughout the history of America the thought of assimilation has been fought for and against. Many people, such as the Native Americans, were forcibly stripped of their culture and Americanized. Others, such as the German Americans, willingly assimilated in political views but tried to hold onto their culture. All of these situations lead to hatred from white Americans at some point throughout our history. The Native Americans during the westward expansion, German Americans during WWI, and Japanese immigrants during WWII. Even though some of these people had already assimilated, the fear that remained constant was the belief that people of different races and ethnicities were savages. That other cultures were an affront and could not
Even though there are set values that are universally known to the public, people do not always follow those values within their groups. However, these people have to act in conformity and abide by the values in public. Although everyone assumes that “imagined communities” contain a common culture, in reality, they really do not due to the fact that there are many body of ideas and practices that are not shared. Many languages are spoken and countless number of religions are practiced in various countries, so these make the “common culture” idea a misconception among citizens of different countries. For example, people tend to think that America consists of culture that is common, but they do not know if the beliefs, values, and practices are universally shared by all Americans. Nonetheless, there was a time when a dominant culture in the United States actually existed. It was during when the religion of Christianity was prominent and when many countries in Europe spoke the English language. It should be known that black Americans, Chinese-Americans, and white Americans have a common culture because of everything they do and do not share. From the common culture would arise the social identity, which can cause problems in diversity. Diversity can be an issue because of the ignorance of all the contrasting values. These issues arise because racial and ethnic identities are compared to one another and both can also relate to genders and sexualities. Nevermore, distinct genders and sexualities often live together now with the same knowledge and values and can still grow into opposite racial identities. Ethnic identities are so different since they are created in family and community life and people want the solidarity from being unique to one
With more than 43 million immigrants living in America, cultures are bound to clash and cause problems. For example, both my parents and their families immigrated to this country in search of a better life. Even if America is considered the great melting pot, my parents never assimilated into the American culture. Before I started school, they only reconnected and met people of their own ethnicity. Their stubbornness finally gave way when we moved into a predominantly white area and realized that my success meant that they have to deal with non-Asian people. Before beginning to assimilate, my parents always put down other cultures. But my parents are not the only people doing this; Even President Trump generalizes to create fear of others like Mexicans and Muslims. The hatred for other cultures kept our country divided; With a country that prides itself as being inclusive, people, like my parents, who do not want to or fear assimilation are one of the driving forces to keeping an ununified America. When Paine states that the United States leave all differences aside to be “brought into cordial unison,” he assumed that we are able to support one another without any issues. However, as the hatred and fear grows for other cultures, not listening and understanding each other continues to keep America in
Assimilation is the forced action to adapt or adjust to the culture and values of another nation. This, in many cases throughout history, has been the result of a more powerful, majority group suffocating the minority. Conformity has been a very popular trait in the colonial Canadian society. By exercising this value over successive decades, European immigrants smothered much of the Indigenous culture.
Firstly, one of the most horrific practises of the world of assimilation, where one is forced to convert to another religion, follow different customs and orders and have to have any memory of their true beliefs to be erased is completely barbaric, but was one of the events that occurred in 1750s to the French! Despite the 1774 Québec Act where the French regained their lost rights, I still believe that this was one of the tragedies that nevertheless remains an issue in this advanced community. The young generation of this country are constantly trying to re-invent themselves so they appeal more to their friends and the society
One of the most important concepts that I have learned from class is Assimilation Theory. This theory is based on the adaptation that a certain ethnic group goes through in order to fit in and survive in the new dominant society. For example, according to the book the United States in known to be a predominantly white cultural society, therefore many ethnic groups from all over who choose to come to the U.S often have to assimilate and adapt to the social and cultural norms. Assimilation theory affects many ethnic groups in sense that it can change the way they behave and live in a society. Whenever another ethnic