Multiculturalism

[Alicja]

Hello,

I'd like you to read an article about multiculturalism (post the link, explain the meaning of a few words/ expressions using a monolingual dictionary, tell us what the article is about).

Don't forget to post a discussion question.

See you on Monday!

[Camille]

I read this article about the failure of multiculturalism in Germany: www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/thereporters/gavinhewitt/2010/10/failure_of_multiculturalism.html.

This article deals with the German government’s view on the integration of the immigrants. The head of the government Chancellor Angela Merkel says that the multiculturalism has “utterly failed” in the country, especially concerning the Muslims. For a long time anti-immigration parties across Europe, and in this case Germany, have been talking about it but now mainstream politicians who have been avoiding the issue are considering it.

This article was interesting because it was written in 2010 and we still have the same problems in France. Germany has a particular way of dealing with that issue and one may not agree.

Do you think newcomers should set aside their own culture when they arrive in a new culture?

Vocabulary:
Utterly: completely
Mainstream: considered normal because it reflects what is done or accepted by most people
Spring up: to appear or develop quickly and/or suddenly

[Eva]

Hi everyone,

I read this article about multiculturalism in Europe: www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/western-europe/2015-03-01/failure-multiculturalism

This article explains how European countries such as France, Germany or the United Kingdom are dealing with multiculturalism. The author insists on the fact that multiculturalism is not a response to diversity but more of a way to constrain it. Multiculturalism in Europe is due to immigration, so there are differences treating immigrants or people from the same country. But the author says that there is more to this multiculturalism: there are differences in treating people from different social classes too.
I think it's interesting to have another point of view than those we have here in Europe. It shows us how we can improve our ways of dealing with our society's problems. Multiculturalism is certainly one of the biggest problem in our european society and I agree with the author when he says that we should renew our way of thinking.

According to you, what are the ways of changing the public opinion about multiculturalism ?

Vocabulary:
Rampage: a sudden period of wild and violent behaviour, often causing damage and destruction
Overarching: very important, because it includes or influences many things
Glaring: (of something bad) very easily seen

[Jean-Baptiste]

Hello everybody,

I chose this article about multiculturalism: www.bbc.com/news/magazine-12381027

Comments:
It deals with the notion of multiculturalism itself. This article is interesting to me because it explains how British people see multiculturalism. The prime minister thinks that it encourages people to live apart from each other. The Academics think it's people from different communities living next to each other. It means that people don't have to adapt themselves to the society, but the society is supposed to integrate everyone. Everyone seems to have a different definition of multiculturalism. They all seem to define this word, but we have to think about what it really means in our society. We can ask what is multiculturalism to you ?

Vocabulary:
scrutiny: careful and thorough examination
in the wake of somebody/somethiing: coming after or following somebody/something
columnist: a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine

[Adrien]

Hello,

There is my article : www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/americas-tipping-point-most-u-s-now-multicultural-says-group-n186206

It's an article from NBC news in which we can read that America is about to reach a "Multicultural tipping point". we can see the points of two companies : the first one says that whites americans will become a minority in the USA, and the second one reply that it's already there and there is no problem. The statement of the second firm is based on multicultural mariages, cohabitating households, etc. In their opinion, a majority of american is "ambi-cultural" which mean that they live in two cultural and they are good with both.

Can we live in a foreign country without becoming multicultural ?

vocabulary :
    Tipping point : the point where (or when) a minority became a majority
    to unveil something : to show or introduce a new plan, product, etc. to the public for the first time
    
    

[Pierre L.]

Good Morning everyone !

Today I've read this artile about the benefits of multiculturalism in the UK :
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/16/passive-tolerance-beacon-hope-diverse-communities

The journalist refers to 7 studies carried out over 10 years in the United States, Europe and South Africa, in order to analyse the effects of multiculturalism. According to these sutdies, livilng in an intercultural neighborhood makes you more prone to "tolerate " other cultures. If you see everyday people from different origins while buying groceries or going out to park, they will less "extraterrestrial", and much more similar to you. The articles also tackles the idea of "hunkering down", and that seeing people from another cultures lead to mistrust.

Vocabulary :
to hunker down :(mainly American) to sit close to the ground on your heels with your knees bent up in front of you
to percolate :if information or ideas percolate, they spread gradually and become known to more people

My question on this topic would be : " What are the benefits of multiculturalism for the welcoming society ?"

[Pierre.N]

Hello,

I have read this article integratingcities.nl/multiculturalism.html in relation to multiculturalism.

The origins and some impacts of the multiculturalism are summarized in it. The writer has mainly done its point of view about the migration as the origins of culture melting. And from this it tells what kind of consequences come when the country is considered as multicultural. After a short presentation of examples, the writer tells us that multiculturalism creates both of migration and emigration. This is here that I tell my question.

Can the multiculturalism be able to unify states in the current state of things ? Or is the world still not ready to accept any forms of multiculturalism ?


Vocabulary:

[usually singular] influx (of somebody/something) (into…):
The fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere

to omit:
to not include something/somebody, either deliberately or because you have forgotten it/them