Multiculturalism in Australia - Essay Example

Multiculturalism Student’s Name: Institutional Affiliation Multiculturalism Multiculturalism involves an ethic of respect for, and acceptance of community harmony, cultural diversity, and inclusion. The word originated in Switzerland back in 1957 where it was employed in explaining the mosaic presented by different cultures within the country, and has ever since been applied to societies that are linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse (Reitz, Breton, Dion, & Dion, 2009). With the increase in globalization, the world is being transformed into a single village, allowing individuals from different cultural backgrounds to interact on different platforms including trade, politics, and education, among others. Multiculturalism thus provides an avenue through which the distinctive factors of the different cultures can be understood. Australia is highly diversified as a country, with a good percentage of the inhabitants being from overseas and some having parents that were originally born abroad. As a result, the Australian inhabitants speak a variety of languages and practice different religions. The country’s cultural base is thus highly diversified, an aspect that is evident in its art, music, literature, sport, dress, and food. Nevertheless, as much as the country has successfully integrated different cultures into the society, some individuals, especially the local individuals still find it difficult to adjust and accommodate other cultures and religions, especially individuals from cultural backgrounds that are greatly distinct from Australia’s mainstream culture (Leuner, 2006). National Identity, Multiculturalism and my Experiences in Australia The experiences I have had in the Australian setting as an international student is a clear indication of the difference between my Saudi Arabian national identity and the national identity of Australians. The political arena has increasingly embraced efforts to allow integration of different cultures into the Australian communities, allowing for the establishment of the Australian national identity which comprises of shared values towards which all the Australians are obliged to adhere (Moran, 2011). As such, when an individual from a different nationality with a different national culture moves into Australia, they are bound to face exclusion until they merge their values with those provided for by the Australian national culture. As a Muslim girl from Saudi Arabia, my cultural background is greatly distinct from the mainstream Australia national culture and identity. Our cultural differences are evident in almost all aspects of our lives, including dressing, speaking accent, religious practices, and values. However, understanding the environment that I was bound to be part of as an international student in a foreign country, I understood that I had to accommodate the cultural practices and beliefs of other individuals in order to interact effectively with them. Like one would expect in any foreign cultural setting, I faced cultural resistance and exclusion during my interaction with other Australian students in the class and through the groups or teams. This seemed to be the trend when it came to interactions between the Australian students and other international students, as they would treat such students in a different manner as they would treat each other. The national culture and identity have a significant impact on the feelings and behaviors of different individuals (Reitz, Breton, Dion, & Dion, 2009). Such effects could be in relation to various aspects including communication methods, time, and privatization and publicizing of information. All these aspect define the national identity of individuals, an aspect that I came to later learn that it led to the reduced interaction with the Australian students. For instance, Dutch employees could be highly appreciative of compliments extended to them by their employers due to their culture of individualism, while most Asian employees would be made to feel uncomfortable by a similar compliment due to their culture of collectivism. It is thus important for individuals to identify the national identity of a foreign country that they ought to interact with in order to establish the values and traits of the inhabitants of such nation as this would enhance interaction with such individuals. Discussion of Multiculturalism and its Impact in Australia In order to ensure that multiculturalism is embraced successfully, it is important for the society to establish values that will uphold inclusiveness and allow for a collaborative attitude towards immigrants and other individuals from distinctive cultures (Moran, 2011). The issue of multiculturalism has been well included in the development of policies in the Australian context, with leaders across all constructs encouraging establishment of an environment that would be inclusive of individuals from different cultures towards the development of the society. Nevertheless, some have argued that multiculturalism has failed to establish such an environment and should thus be replaced by principles of a shared national identity in order to ensure that the different cultures are integrated into one national identity with which each one can be associated regardless of their cultural backgrounds (Teras, 2012). Opponents of multiculturalism term it as a division of loyalties and thus an aspect that undermines the national identity (Taras, 2012). On the contrary, those who are in support of multiculturalism observe national identity as homogenizing and thus a threat to cultural diversity (Bennett, 2013). Such perspectives have a great impact on the general view of the public on the issues of multiculturalism and thus affect the interaction between the native Australians and individuals from different cultures in other countries. For a culturally inclusive environment to be established it is paramount to ensure that both the multicultural and national identity ideas are well merged. As such, being a multicultural country, it is vital to understand that different individuals from the different cultures would express their interaction with the national identity in varying ways. It is evident that Australia’s success can be attributed to the emphasis put on multiculturalism, as a cornerstone of nation-building (Leuner, 2006). The notion that multiculturalism has failed is a major contributory factor to the confusion experienced in the debate concerning how individuals learn to live together amidst the increasing global interconnection and interdependence (Taras, 2012). As such, multiculturalism is a simple definition of the reality experienced in the modern society in most countries, in the sense that there is the presence of a large population of migrant groups, some of whom are at various phases of permanent settlement, while others are on temporary settlement, and they are all from different countries and different cultures (Taras, 2012). In such a case, multiculturalism cannot be termed as a failure. Any reference to failure can only be based on the view that the established policies of multiculturalism are inadequate in terms of responding to the change in cultural diversity, and hence social solidarity and stability is threatened by the presence of individuals from various backgrounds. Such an argument can be backed by a clear view of both the objective and the subjective realities. The objective reality involves community tensions, the high levels of inequality, and racism (Bennet, 2013). On the contrary, the subjective reality involves consistency in emotional resistance directed towards diversity, and various forms of desire aimed at either reversing or halting the trend (Bennett, 2013). Such views suggest a failure of multiculturalism in a society and are an indication that the available policies have failed to unite people and instead promoted separatism. It is clear that the policies established by the government in each country are important in facilitating the success of multiculturalism since they govern the actions and event and affect behavior of individuals in relation to others from different cultural backgrounds. My Understanding of Australia’s Embracement and Multiculturalism There have been a series of controversies and debates in Australia concerning how the nation identifies with multiculturalism. Nevertheless, it is evident that despite such differences, the public generally supports multiculturalism. Most of the citizens of Australia believe that cultural diversity is important as it contributes to the understanding of intercultural constructs (Leuner, 2006). Nevertheless, Australians tend to be unsympathetic to any cultural groups that tend to keep to themselves. It is clear that the acceptance of cultural diversity in Australia has been gradual but effective, and thus despite the various cases of interracial and intercultural tension, the Australians are increasingly accommodative of individuals from other cultures. The established policies and portrayal of multiculturalism by the Australian government has been effective in allowing for a clear understanding of other cultures and thus facilitated increased interaction with other cultures (Leuner, 2006). It is also evident that lack of clear goals among educators in learning institutions within Australia has made it impossible if not difficult to identify any attitudes developed towards recognizing cultural groups (Appelbaum, 2002). It is thus salient that preferred goals be established to outline a clear and more evident direction for changes within the curriculum, which would promote positive cultural attitudes. The education system has to embed multicultural goals in school curriculums to promote a better understanding of cultural diversity among students and promote an inclusive environment (Appelbaum, 2002). Lack of such an environment is clearly a contributory factor to the interaction between I as a native Saudi Arabian and other international students learning in Australia. This is because the native students are not well informed when it comes to matters involving multiculturalism, an aspect that affects their perception of other cultures as keeping to themselves when they are actually not. References Appelbaum, P. M. (2002). Multicultural and Diversity Education: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC-CLIO. Bennett, D. (2013). Multicultural States: Rethinking Difference and Identity. Berlin: Routledge. Leuner, B. (2006). Migration, Multiculturalism and Language Maintenance in Australia: Polish Migration to Melbourne in the 1980s. Bern: International Academic Publishers. Moran, A. (2011). Multiculturalism as Nation-buildin' in Australia: Inclusive National Identity and the Embrace of Diversity. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 34 (12), 2153-2172. Reitz, J. G., Breton, R., Dion, K. K., & Dion, K. L. (2009). Multiculturalism and Social Cohesion: Potentials and Challenges of Diversity. Toronto: Springer Science + Business Media. Taras, R. (2012). Challenging Multiculturalism: European Models of Diversity. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Read More

Like one would expect in any foreign cultural setting, I faced cultural resistance and exclusion during my interaction with other Australian students in the class and through the groups or teams. This seemed to be the trend when it came to interactions between the Australian students and other international students, as they would treat such students in a different manner than they would treat each other.

The national culture and identity have a significant impact on the feelings and behaviors of different individuals (Reitz, Breton, Dion, & Dion, 2009). Such effects could be in relation to various aspects including communication methods, time, and privatization, and publicizing of information. All these aspects define the national identity of individuals, an aspect that I came to later learn that led to the reduced interaction with the Australian students. For instance, Dutch employees could be highly appreciative of compliments extended to them by their employers due to their culture of individualism, while most Asian employees would be made to feel uncomfortable by a similar compliment due to their culture of collectivism. It is thus important for individuals to identify the national identity of a foreign country that they ought to interact with in order to establish the values and traits of the inhabitants of such a nation as this would enhance interaction with such individuals.

Discussion of Multiculturalism and its Impact in Australia

In order to ensure that multiculturalism is embraced successfully, it is important for the society to establish values that will uphold inclusiveness and allow for a collaborative attitude towards immigrants and other individuals from distinctive cultures (Moran, 2011). The issue of multiculturalism has been well included in the development of policies in the Australian context, with leaders across all constructs encouraging the establishment of an environment that would be inclusive of individuals from different cultures towards the development of the society. Nevertheless, some have argued that multiculturalism has failed to establish such an environment and should thus be replaced by principles of a shared national identity in order to ensure that the different cultures are integrated into one national identity with which each one can be associated regardless of their cultural backgrounds (Teras, 2012). Opponents of multiculturalism term it as a division of loyalties and thus an aspect that undermines the national identity (Taras, 2012). On the contrary, those who are in support of multiculturalism observe national identity as homogenizing and thus a threat to cultural diversity (Bennett, 2013). Such perspectives have a great impact on the general view of the public on the issues of multiculturalism and thus affect the interaction between the native Australians and individuals from different cultures in other countries. For a culturally inclusive environment to be established it is paramount to ensure that both the multicultural and national identity ideas are well merged. As such, being a multicultural country, it is vital to understand that different individuals from different cultures would express their interaction with the national identity in varying ways. It is evident that Australia’s success can be attributed to the emphasis put on multiculturalism, as a cornerstone of nation-building (Leuner, 2006).

The notion that multiculturalism has failed is a major contributory factor to the confusion experienced in the debate concerning how individuals learn to live together amidst the increasing global interconnection and interdependence (Taras, 2012). As such, multiculturalism is a simple definition of the reality experienced in the modern society in most countries, in the sense that there is the presence of a large population of migrant groups, some of whom are at various phases of permanent settlement, while others are on temporary settlement, and they are all from different countries and different cultures (Taras, 2012).

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