preview

Multiculturalism : The Emerging And Ever Changing Concept Of Multiculturalism

Decent Essays

Literature Review – Draft

(A) MULTICULTURALISM

DEFINING MULTICULTURALISM

The emerging and ever changing concept of multiculturalism makes it difficult to define. Various research papers have looked at many different concepts of multiculturalism. Joyce Mosely argues that multiculturalism is the mixing and sharing of cultural groups who value their diversity, and is a natural way of life that is all encompassing (4). Likewise Sharyn Pearce discusses multiculturalism as not just the co-existence of cultures it is a mix of various cultures (1). Jennifer Higgins takes a more simplistic approach saying that multiculturalism is a term “variably used to describe groups of people from non-white background, people of colour, or people of all cultures regardless of race” (5) The Australian Government Department of Social Services defines it as a “term which describes the cultural and ethnic diversity of contemporary Australia,” as well as detailing it as an integral part of Australian society (13). For the purposes of this research paper multiculturalism will be defined as the ethnic and cultural diversity of Australian society as well as the sharing of culture amoungst all members of society.

AUSTRALIA & MULTICULTURALISM

Multiculturalism has been part of Australian society since times of the gold rush and has become more prominent following Australia’s immigration policies of the 1970s. In the 20th century, the government actively constructed Australia to be a multicultural

Get Access