Multiculturalism

Essay by ReggaeyouthUniversity, Bachelor'sA, April 2008

download word file, 3 pages 2.0

In today’s society, there are many different terms and definitions used to describe multiculturalism. For example, “melting pot”, “mosaic”, and “assimilation” are the most commonly used terms today to describe multiculturalism. However, with societies different definitions of multiculturalism there will always be stereotyping, bias opinions, racism as well as problems associated with cultural references. Nevertheless, by raising awareness of the multicultural policy in future generations one could only hope to eliminate such behaviors.

One of the ways multiculturalism has been defined is by the term “melting pot”. Melting pot is when a culture, for example Japanese, move to the United States of America, the Japanese would then take on an American culture, which then becomes the majority culture. Gloria Yamato sates that we must reclaim whatever parts of our ethnic heritage that we have lost. She feels that this so called “melting pot” has succeeded into turning us into “fast gobbling generics”.

In the story, “For Mataji” by Amita Handa the author says that girls couldn’t go to school because they weren’t looked at in the same way that the boys were (280, Amita Handa). Not allowing girls to go to school is prejudice, because of the fact that they’re equal, and are not different. However, in the Proclamation of the Canadian Constitution, Pierre Elliot Trudeau stated “I speak of a country where every person is free to fulfill himself or herself to the utmost, unhindered by the arbitrary actions of governments” (430, Pierre Elliot Trudeau). This means that he believes everyone is to enjoy himself/herself to the fullest and not to hold back anything about themselves.

The second way multiculturalism has been defined is by the term “mosaic”. Mosaic is when there are many cultures in one place but all of the different cultures can practice their own beliefs...