Multiculturalism in Britain

Essay by melikekk November 2004

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                Culture is what we distinguish us as nations; one from the other, but it is also through culture that we can understand each other, as individuals. Through culture we can designate the borders, both real and imagined, which keep us apart. We recognize not only the ways we are different but also the ways we are the same. Our cultures are an essential part of our own understanding of who we are or where we come from. The designated borders by human beings which keep us apart are mainly symbols of different ideologies or the practice of different ideologies. State; is he superior power or a hegemonizing power. On the other hand, apart from the hegemonizing power, the concept of identity and human being's sense of identity are significant issues. To have purpose one must have identity and this identity is created from intermingling of cultures, memories and nationhood.

Together all three shape us. "The nation, in fact, can be seen as a product of imagination. The opportunity to imagine one's fellow man and woman and to make common cause with them has created language, music, cookery, custom, ritual and shared religion among communities, so they identify themselves as nations."(Baumann, 11) Thus, think of the immigrant people who have left their countries, hometowns and settle on a different state for various reasons. How do they feel themselves on a different topography far from their motherlands? Do they come across a dilemma, which is named as identity crisis?

                Specifically, in Britain there are many minority groups who came from different countries and have different cultures. From this multi-ethnic society, Muslim community is one of the largest one and it is considered to be a marginalized one. It is a varied population, there are obvious cultural differences between them what...