Migration, cultural diversity and integration in contemporary Britain - Essay Example

This integration and acceptance could involve recognizing the others’ practice as right or even adopting some of the practices which are to be found in the other people involved. One of the major contributors of having youths from divergent backgrounds studying in the same universities is as a direct result of migrant labour. In this respect you may find that one’s parents went to a foreign country looking for a job opportunity and since people of many nationalities do emigrate looking for job opportunities, it is only obvious that we are going to have a situations whereby the different youths involved tend to develop multicultural social capital (Arthur,2004).

Social capital has been defined as Social capital is a sociological concept, which refers to connections within and between social networks. Harzig and Hoerder discuss the issue of migration in detail and he points out the negative opinions which are cast upon immigrants. They are viewed as “hands” or “braceros” instead of hearts and heads. The following dialogue involves two young university student in Paris France. Partner A (Asamoah) has his origins in Ghana while Partner B (Louis) has his origins in Cameroon both countries in West Africa.

ASAMOAH: I am Asamoah Gyan, My parents come from Accra Ghana. We came to France when I was five years old. My parents are career diplomats and thus I had to join a French school and upon the end of my parents’ tour of duty they felt it advisable to have me left behind in France so as to complete my university studies. I chose an African because we have a lot to share as we both come from the continent and hence we should have a lot in common. LOUIS: I am Louis Mitchell and my country of origin is Cameroon.

My whole family lives in Douarra second largest city in Cameroon. I have always wanted to join a good foreign university and being from a Francophone country I was able to benefit from a Scholarship from the government of France. I thus had my early education back in Cameroun and only came to France for my higher education on a scholarship. I chose a Ghanaian national owing to the close proximity between our two countries and being Africans, we have a lot in common. Questions. ASAMOAH: Louis could you tell me about your social capital in terms of how you find yourself accepting to the races, gender sexuality and religion in Britain?

LOUIS: I find it very difficult to interact with the foreign people and I am more comfortable being in the company of my fellow Africans and especially those from French speaking countries. On issues of gender, I find the British more tolerant towards women but I hate the legalization of homosexuality and on the religious issue the French are not religious at all. ASAMOAH: Why do you abhor the legalization of gay unions in Britain? LOUIS: That is unheard of in African culture. In my own country being caught engaging in such an activity attracts a very severe penalty and furthermore the individuals concerned are ostracized from the society.

ASAMOAH: what kind of penalty could that be and why is it considered unAfrican to engage in such activities? LOUIS: In my country, penalty for being day is imprisonment for a term of at least twenty years in prison and in rural areas where traditional justice is dispensed you find that those who are caught engaging in such activities are put in a beehive and rolled off a hill. It is considered unAfrican to engage in homosexual relationships because that is what has been passed from