Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Locality and
Identity
Terence Turner. 1993.
- Anthropology and
Multiculturalism
Arjun Appadurai. 1996.
- Modernity at Large
What is Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is used “in connection
with demands on behalf of black and other
minority groups for separate and equal
representation in college curriculum…”
(411) – especially in USA
A “call for a critical retheorizing of the
relation of culture and political society
that would accommodate, rather than ignore
or repress, the multiplicity of identities
and social groups…” (412)
“Multiculturalism…is primarily a movement
for change.” (412)
“Culture, for multiculturalists, then,
refers primarily to collective social
identities engaged in struggles for social
equality. For multiculturalism, culture is
Nationalism and Culture
Multiculturalism contrasts with
“monoculturalism,” which was the norm for
the nation-state since the early 19th
century. (France=French Culture)
The idea of the nation-state is that each
“nation” (e.g. people, race, ethnicity)
should have its own sovereign state.
Policies encouraged unity of language,
education, economy, and religion.
(compulsory education for all in the
national language).
Nationalism leads to assimilation - the
directed removal of cultural difference -
Multiculturalism as
Policy
“Multicultural society” = descriptive
“Multiculturalism” = prescriptive (e.g.
Japan)
Government policies include:
1) recognition of multiple citizenship
2) government support for minority
language media (TV, radio, newspaper)
3) support for holidays and festivals
4) acceptance of traditional dress
5) ethnic educational programs in public
schools
- Canada is the best and earliest example
of multiculturalism as public policy.
(constitutional recognition of
bilingualism and indigenous rights)
Critical vs. Difference
Multiculturalism
Critical Difference
Multiculturalism Multiculturalism