What is multiculturalism?

As a descriptive term it refers to cultural diversity where two or more groups with distinctive beliefs/cultures exist in a society.

It can also refer to government policy as a formal recognition of the cultural distinctiveness of particular groups.

It implies a positive endorsement of cultural diversity.

Diversity

Multiculturalists believe that cultural diversity is compatible with political cohesion. People have multiple identities and therefore loyalties.

People are able to participate in society because they have a firm and secure identity rooted in their own culture. Denial of culture results in isolation and powerlessness providing a breeding ground for extremism.

Diversity should be celebrated. It fosters cross cultural tolerance and understanding.

The advantages and the disadvantages of a multicultural society

Living in a multicultural society with people with different traditions and perspectives, makes people communicate with each other. When people communicate, they share ideas and perspectives, so everyone learns a new way to see the world or even a small thing or situation. So there is a development in an intellectual way. Being in a multicultural society also leads to a more open-minded population; people start to see situations from another point of view.

The advantages and the disadvantages of a multicultural society

When people are together and cooperate to the development of communication, it is promoted the respect and the tolerance between different cultures. People start to feel comfortable living and interacting with people from different countries or with different perspectives. A multicultural society also makes people being less racist and leads to a non discrimination society, having a more peaceful environment.

The advantages and the disadvantages of a multicultural society

As we can see, all of these are advantages of a multicultural society; however there still have disadvantages with living in a multicultural society because sometimes people can think that this can leads to the destruction of the definition of each culture, and people think that they start to lose identity.

So, a multicultural society has advantages and disadvantages, however there are a lot more advantages. We can say that living in a multicultural society is the best to the development of the communication between cultures and it promotes a peaceful environment.

We have to learn to set aside our differences and accept each other for what we are. If there wasn’t such and ethnic and cultural difference in our society life wouldn’t be as interesting as it is.

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Work presented by: Ana Carolina, nº1.

11ºLH2