Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain - Essay Example

Multiculturalism in contemporary Britain Introduction: Within Britain, the opposition to immigration among members of the public has signaled the resistance to a multicultural society comprised of diverse peoples. In the 1970s Conservative Enoch Powell demanded the restriction of immigration and repatriation of existing immigrants (Studler 1974), Deakin (1970) points out that it is the racial prejudice existing in British society that generates the hostility towards immigrants. Solomos (2003) has also discussed the influence of underlying racial hostility which may be influencing immigration policies within the political arena. Racism and hostility have led to the eruption of major urban riots in Britain and the United States (Skolnick and Fyfe 1993). There are also differences within multicultural societies in terms of the extent of police brutality and racism that is meted out to people of different racial groups. For example, a study in Britain that was conducted by Jefferson and Walker (1993) found that Asians who came from the Indian sub continent reported fewer negative experiences with the police as compared to African immigrants from the Caribbean. Urban unrest in Britian in the 1980s and the riots of 2001 led to inquiry reports which highlighted the underlying causes of such unrest (Solomos 1998). Inequalities in housing, income, education and health, reinforced by the discrimination faced by ethnic minorities within Britain have been identified as issues to be addressed through policy initiatives in Britain. The Labor Party which has been in power in Britain in the last decade, has attempted to address these inequalities by measures to promote social cohesion, which may also be noted in the Government’s Respect Action Plan. (Respect task Force, 2006). Legislative means to address inequalities in society generated by race and ethnicity have been framed in the Race Relations Act of 1976 with recent amendments made in 2000. The incorporation of the European Convention of Human Rights into UK Law through the Human Rights Act of 1998 also mandates protection from discrimination as framed in Article 14 of the ECHR. Multiculturalism: According to Gillespie who conducted an ethnographic study of British Asians from the Indian subcontinent, cultural consumption through the media plays a vital role in defining and reconstituting ethnic and other “cultural” identities within a multicultural society. (Gillespie, 1995: 11). Her study therefore appears to suggest that the development of ethnicity may not necessarily be limited to one’s parent culture or the culture of the environment, rather it is an evolving concept that integrates both cultures. Hall discusses various approaches to multiculturalism – on the one hand, it is viewed by some as the assimilation of the minorities into the traditions and customs of the majority, while on the other, a multicultural society is viewed as one where cultural and ethnic differences are recognized and allowed to co-exist. Challenges of multiculturalism: Multiculturalism is the policy of integrating various races and cultures into one society through a respect and acceptance of the differences that exist among various groups. However, public resistance to immigration and racism by the police as outlined above suggest that discrimination is one of the issues that must be addressed within the UK. The Government has responded with legislative measures to promote diversity and prevent discrimination. The Race Relations Act framed in 1976 specifically deals with discrimination on the grounds of race in the fields of employment, training education, housing and other services deemed necessary to ensure that the civil liberties of an individual are not hampered. This act was further amended in 2000 to incorporate discrimination from all public bodies.(www.opsi.gov.uk). Part II of the Act deals specifically with discrimination exercised by employers and the Act provides protection against direct and indirect discrimination as well as victimization and harassment. Malik has pointed out how the new move towards promoting diversity is in fact working against multiculturalism, because it is resulting in a form of cultural segregation that is being fuelled upon not upon the quest for equality but upon the celebration of diversity, wherein the white races try to preserve their cultural identity and thereby fights for white rights and white identity.(Malik, No date). Thus, while Malik highlights the advantages of the move towards promoting diversity, such as providing more opportunities for everyone and opening up British society to transform its culture and prevent discrimination of minorities, he also points out that the negative side of diversity is that it creates narrower definitions of what one’s cultural identity should be and thereby promotes a greater trend towards cohesive bonds with one’s own culture. Multiculturalism cannot thrive unless the political structure within a country is also adapted to make allowance for the rights and needs of different cultural groups. There needs to be adequate provision in the law to allow for policing against discriminatory practices. Such political virtues that should exist in a multicultural society include “tolerance, self-restraint, willingness to enter into unfamiliar worlds of thought, love of diversity, a mind open to new ideas and a heart open to others’ needs, and the ability to persuade and live with unresolved differences.” (Parekh 2000:340). Conclusions: On the basis of the above, it may be noted that the prejudices of the British public may function as fuel for racism and discrimination towards minorities, which legislation has attempted to address. Government attempts to build cohesion may be partially beneficial in addressing the divide between the majority and minority groups, to prevent riots and unrest in society. However, underlying causes of inequalities in economic areas must continue to be addressed through policy initiatives. Parekh believes that in a multicultural society, the common point to build unity among all the people and to promote a sense of belonging is a political foundation, a shared commitment to a political community.(Parekh 2000: 341). On this basis therefore, a multicultural society would respect the diversity of its peoples and allow each ethnic, cultural or other group to feel secure through the provisions made in its laws and shared political outlook. Winstone (1996) has discussed the example of Leicester in the UK, where over 400 ethnic minority associations exist with several of them being awarded contracts by the City Council in order to carry out particular services. As a result of this, the authorities generally tend to consult with several of these minority organizations rather than a few leaders who are said to represent the entire community (p 38) and as a result, a more democratic society ensures with a more positive image among the police and the community about minority members and their needs and culture which in turn could work towards promoting greater understanding among races and communities and prevent the racial violence that erupts through misunderstanding. References: * Deakin, N (1970) “Colour, Citizenship and British Society: an abridged and updated version of the Rose report”, London: Panther * Jefferson, T and Walker, M.A.(1993) “Attitudes toward the police of ethnic minorities in a provincial city.” British Journal of Criminology, 33: 251-66 * Malik, Kenan (No Date). “The perils of multiculturalism.” [online] available at: http://www.kenanmalik.com/tv/an_mc.html * Parekh, B (2000). “Rethinking Multiculturalism”. London: Macmillan. * Race Relations (amended) Act of 2000. [Online] Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000034.htm * Respect Task Force, 2006. “Respect Action Plan.” Home Office. * Skolnick, Jerome H and James J. Fyfe. (1993) “Above the law: police and the excessive use of force”. New York: Free Press * Solomos, J (2003) “Race and Racism in Britain” (3rd Edition) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan * Solomos, J. (1988). “Black Youth, Racism and the State: The Politics of Ideology and Policy”. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. * Studlar, D (1974) “British Public Opinion, Colour Issues and Enoch Powell: A Longitudinal Analysis”, British Journal of Political Science 4 (3) 371-81 * Winstone, P (1996). “Managing a multi-ethnic and multicultural city in Europe” Leicester.” International Social Science Journal, 147: 33-41 Read More