The Idea of Multiculturalism in Light of Events such as the Cronulla Riots - Coursework Example

While multiculturalism has become more important in recent years, it is very important to remember that since the 1980s its legitimacy has been repeatedly questioned” (van Krieken, Habibis, Smith, Hutchins, Haralambos, & Holborn, 2005, p. 270). A DISCUSSION on the idea of multiculturalism in light of events such as the Cronulla riots, attacks on Indian students, the activities of ethnic gangs, or popular responses to asylum-seeking refugees. Introduction Sigmund Freud described socialisation as one or more processes that bring a child’s natural instincts as aggression under the purview of superego, which subsequently punishes or prevents these instincts when they become socially unacceptable (Freud,1940/1949, p.16). That, in turn, means that more than that of the instinct of aggression it is the superego that influences the behaviour of a child; an influence that persists subsequently throughout the lifespan as the child grows. Broadly three perspectives underpin the concept of socialisation, which are structural perspective, conflict perspective, symbolic interactionism. The first one makes an individual’s needs similar as to that of the society (Waters & Richters 1991).. According to the second one, conflict perspective, socialisation produces inequality, on account of “haves” and “have-nots”, where “haves” control socialisation agents, and “have-nots” feel isolated. When the two come together, as has happened in the multicultural world today, conflicts arise. Consequently, symbolic interactionism, which is all about learning and sharing to give rise to socially-acceptable actions, takes a backseat. Theory of socialisation; its effects on social roles and values regarding multiculturalism When naive individuals learn some skills, values, motivations required to connect with the functioning in a culture and behaviour patterns, the set of processes involved is termed as socialisation. Emotional maturity, social understandings and skills are central to the theory, and these enable an individual to fit into the social milieu. Socialisation processes enable culture to pass from one generation to another just as it enables one individual to assimilate roles and values from another. It is very much like "rubber-stamping" one generation or an individual with an imprint left by its predecessor. But recent trends in multiculturalism, which is intermingled with technological changes, climatic conditions, regional conflicts and pestilence, is changing cultures rapidly (Maccoby 2007, p. 13); often with results that are more bad than good. It is because at one point of time societies realize the pitfalls of losing touch with their original cultures for the sake of embracing the new ones. This leads to conflicts because the values learned afresh from new culture seem to look different from the parent culture – when that happens socialisation seems to be failing as it leads to a compromising and reluctant situation. Broadly, with regard to multiculturalism three issues can be highlighted. It is opined that culture is of as much value to a non-member (a member hailing from another culture) as it is to a member. But if that would be all, the notion of social identity would be in doldrums, and a multicultural group of people may, at some point of time, seek their legitimate autonomy – which is actually a search for identity – from others in the group. As a result of this no single value can be stamped in favour of a specific moral concern, as can’t also be a single motivating force in favour of a given set of commitments (Haddock and Sutch (eds.), 2003, pp 94-110). . The opening essay, which gives this volume its title, discusses these issues in the context of multiculturalism. A culture is of value not only to members of the particular cultural group, but also to non-members, and to society at large. Related essays in the volume discuss the notion of social identity, and the extent to which individuals and groups may legitimately claim a degree of autonomy from the demands of others. A recurring theme, both explicit and implicit, of the essays is that there is no single value that underpins all our moral concerns, nor is there a single motivating force that explains all our commitments. In this sense, plurality and diversity are vindicated, but without descending into subjectivism and mere relativism about values (Liew and Ten, 2009). Diversity within the social environment of multiculturalism Diversity within the social environment of multiculturalism is considered an asset provided that there is toleration of ethnicity and expression. The purpose of multicultural ideology can be said to have been attained if there is a willingness to uphold fundamental freedoms and human rights. Multiculturalism is nothing but living together of people even though they come from diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic, economic and religious groups (Multiculturalism and Economic Growth, Retrieved from http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/st196.pdf). Multiculturalism as an ideology gets further reinforced when all groups are treated as equal. Diversity needs to be accepted, appreciated, tolerated and respected; and multiculturalism as a government policy (just as in educational institutions) needs to be leading to a single goal of social value where you accept all and yet respect their differences (Introduction to multiculturalism, retrieved from http://www.bobbickel.com/edfn520/section10/multiculturalism10.htm). McLeod, (1987) has propounded seven inherent principles that form the foundation for multiculturalism. These are: i) equality of status among all diverse groups, ii) freedom in each group to retain and develop its own culture, iii) commitment in each to share its culture with another inclusive of ideologies, methodologies and environment, iv) democratically participate in the diversity and shoulder both responsibilities and rights, v) freedom to choose attributes from another group within a given set of ethical principles. Despite it “good tenets” diversity within the social environment of multiculturalism hasn’t escaped criticism. According to Andrea Sigler, President & CEO, Connected International Meeting Professionals Association (CIMPA), “diversity” and “multiculturalism” as is in use today, are another form of “racism”, and race determines one’s ideological background and an identity that transcends from his ethic past (On Diversity and Multiculturalism, retrieved from http://www.cimpa.org/diversity.htm). Diversity, which is determined by gender, race and culture, is quantitative; whileas multiculturalism, which is ever evolving, is qualitative. While diversity is associated with sexual orientation, class, ability, religion, and appearance; multiculturalism is a switchover from one cultural norm to a uniformly acceptable multiple norms. But the events such as attacks on Indian students, the Cronulla riots, the activities of ethnic gangs, or popular responses to asylum-seeking refugees are but a tip of an iceberg on how and why this norm has begun to be questioned. All these events have left the so-called multicultural world polarized with even media tilting positions for or against the truth. When Indian students were attacked in Australia in 2009, an Indian television channel pinned blame for violence on “illegitimate white and Western identity rather than embracing multiculturalism”. Those on the program’s panel echoed the same notions about Australia (White is right? Aus can't get over colour cod, retrieved from (television footage) http://ibnlive.in.com/news/face-the-nation-down-under-and-downright-racist/93951-3.html). On the political front, when Julia Gillard, the deputy Australian PM, was condemning the attacks and terming Australia as “a open tolerant multicultural welcoming society’(Patil, 2010), one participant on the Indian television program was terming Aussies as “the most atrocious and horrendous racists on this planet”. Both diversity and multiculturalism, in this case, were turning out to be really multifaceted. Just four years before these attacks, other attacks – again in Australia – had rattled the multicultural myths. It was what later came to be infamously known as Cornulla riots. The official edifice of Australian multiculturalism stood shattered between the fighting Australians and Lebanese-Australians. While the “official multiculturalism” stood collapsed at the hands of the chauvinist left; some part of the conservative right and the government were quick to announce that “multiculturalism was intact”, and that “it was either racism or law and order problem” (Rattling multicultural myths, retrieved from http://www.labortribune.net/ArticleHolder/CronullaandtheleftPt1/tabid/55/Default.aspx). That sounds very sarcastic since, as has been explained above in this paper, the quantitative diversity is determined by the race itself. Applied social science theories in the context of multiculturalism Martin, (1998) has argued that multiculturalism is actually raises and is based on the question of "difference" since it seems to be racing against many philosophical and social theories. Multiculturalism, he says, requires a framework if it is "consumerist" instead of "transformational". Multiculturalism that has a transformational outlook would require a society that intends to make a social change as part of a collective vision. However, this vision may or may not be easy to come by; as propounded in the social learning theory. According to the social learning theory of Albert Bandura simply because something has been learned cannot guarantee that behaviour will change. He was of the opinion that only external reinforcement wasn’t enough for behaviour to change; it also needed an intrinsic reinforcement to initiate a change. This intrinsic factor helps link the learning factor with cognitive development. Bandura terms the process as social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986). Another one, psychoanalytic theory, on the other hand is said to provide a viable framework for understanding and studying multiculturalism (Tori, Christopher and Murray, Fal 2002, pp. 701-721). This theory extends to therapeutic side of various cultures, but, unfortunately, as multiculturalism grew, its therapeutics failed to keep pace along with. Mishne, (2002) rues that psychotherapy hasn’t been able to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with cultural changes in the last five decades. Culture determines the appropriateness and salience of what is or not therapeutically correct for it. Of another importance to multiculturalism is the symbolic interaction theory. In use for over six decades now, it is about human communication behavior in different settings. Methodologically developed, the theory starts from the self, and then its relevance to society which, if considered in parts, would include organizations, media, people, places and so on. Critically analyzed, it is said to be so broad that it can’t be as much useful as expected, and that it ignores self-esteem and emotion as two important factors (Symbolic Interaction Theory, Retrieved from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073135615/student_view0/chapter5/). More or less, the theories those are relevant to multiculturalism and multicultural communication and provide direction to socio-psychological research include Cognitivism, Role Theory, Psychoanalysis, and Behaviorism. Behaviourism theory helps in interpersonal communications, by way of social change and social teaching. The role assigned to an individual by either social position or circumstance is the key determinant of behavior (Multicultural Communications, Theory and Application, Retrived from http://www.byui.edu/perspective/v2n3pdf/v2n3_dilyara.pdf). Change, globalisation and environmental concerns in contemporary society vis-à-vis multiculturalism The last two decades or more have seen tremendous changes in the world, particularly on the information front. There has been a rapid exchange of information across countries and cultures like never before, and that has imposed a lot on society to bear, assimilate and unfold. There have also been changes on other aspects of life; the changes have been even at social relations at the global level; local events in one region affect conditions in another, 10,000 miles away, just with the speed of thought. The world understands the meaning of globalization in its true sense. Social groups and/ or cultures in one continent, not to speak of companies and governments, have to deal with the ripple effects, where ripples have originated in another continent. On the economic front, the lines dividing the poor nations and the rich nations gets clearly known in a world, or at least a part of it, that is supposed to be multiculturally rich. The proverbial economic order gives way to a world disorder (Cordani, 2002). Bolton, (2009) argues that “multiculturalism is an aspect of globalization”. He explains that multiculturalism is political in nature, a type of social engineering, whereby rich, plutocratic elite create means and methods to milk the meek, lesser-known poor. The elite are referred to as “humanitarian” and “progressive” and those who start questioning the very concept of multiculturalism are labeled as “reactionary” and “racist”. However, from the stark criticism as this, the opinion changes in favour of multiculturalism with regard to the environmental concerns – it is where East and West meet; the former on account of its traditional values to nurture surroundings and nature, and latter for its relentless willingness to protect it. Consequently, multiculturalism is seen a “carrier of thoughts” between boundaries with respect to environmental issues and ethics. The ethics is based on three principles: i) distributive environmental justice must match in thought and action with equal distribution of its benefits, ii) this must extend to inter-generational equality, and iii) respect for nature as a principle (Multiculturalism – Ethics & Values in Addressing Environmental Concerns across the World, retrieved from http://greenstratos.com/blog/?p=39). On the other front, Ignatow, (2005, pp 88-113) has argued that while postmodern social theory didn’t have a profound effect on global environmental politics and activism and politics, social science theories are expected to influence environmental politics globally. References Ageyev V.S. (1990). Inter-Group Interaction: Social-Psychological Problems. Andrea Sigler, On Diversity and Multiculturalism, Retrieved on August 04, 2011, Available from http://www.cimpa.org/diversity.htm. Bolton K. R. (2009), Multiculturalism as a Process of Globalisation, Journal of the Academy of Social and Political Research, Ab Aeterno, No. 1. Bandura, A. 1986. Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Eleanor E. Maccoby. (2007).Handbook of socialisation: theory and research, edited by Joan E. Grusec, Paul D. Hastings, New York, NY. The Guilford Press. Cordani U G, 2002, IAU Lyon Conference,Internationalization of Higher Education Inter-Regional Panel, University of São Paulo Freud, S. (1940/ 1949). An outline of spychoanalysis. New York: Norton. Haddock B . and Sutch P (eds.), 2003, Multiculturalism, identity and rights. Routledge innovations in political theory (12), London, Ignatow G (2005). From Science to Multiculturalism: Postmodern Trends in Environmental Organizations, Global Environmental Politcs, May 2005, Vol. 5, No. 2. Introduction to multiculturalism, Retrieved on August 04, 2011, Available from http://www.bobbickel.com/edfn520/section10/multiculturalism10.htm Judith Mishne (2002). Multiculturalism and the Therapeutic Process, D.S.W. New York, Guilford Publications. Liew T.C.and Ten C.L. (2009), Multiculturalism and The Value of Diversity (Signature), Tarrytown, NY, Marshall Cavendisg Signature Series, Martin, B (1998). Multiculturalism: Consumerist or Transformational? 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The rhetoric of raqcism and multiculturalism, The Drum Opinion, 2010, Retrieved on 04 August, 2011, Available from http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/28002.html Rattling multicultural myths, Retrieved on 04 August, 2011, Available from http://www.labortribune.net/ArticleHolder/CronullaandtheleftPt1/tabid/55/Default.aspx Symbolic Interaction Theory, Retrieved on 13 August, 2011, Available from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073135615/student_view0/chapter5/ Tori, Christopher D.; Bilmes, Murray. (Fal 2002). Multiculturalism and psychoanalytic psychology: The validation of a defense mechanisms measure in an Asian population.By Psychoanalytic Psychology, Vol 19(4). Waters, E. & Richters, J. 1991. Attachment and socialization: The positive side of social influence. In Lewis, M. & Feinman, S. (Eds), Social influences and socialization in infancy. (pp. 185-214). NY: Plenum Press. White is right? Aus can't get over colour cod, Face the Nation, Retrieved on 04 August, 2011 (television footage). Available from http://ibnlive.in.com/news/face-the-nation-down-under-and-downright-racist/93951-3.html Read More