Culture
Definition:
There are many different cultures in the world and each culture may have their own definition of what culture is, and thus the definition varies. There are some definitions that are agreed upon by scholars who have narrowed it down to four diffinitions:
- The quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits.
- A particular form or stage of civilization, of a certain nation or period like the Roman Culture.
- Ways of living transferred from generation to generation (tradition).
with ways of living we also conclude that each generation has differend cultures like:
- popcultures
- youth cultures
- The behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.
History:
In 1952, A. Kroeber and C. Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of culture.
At first when the concept emerged in eighteenth and nineteenth century in Europe, it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture.
Then in the nineteenth century it came to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals.
However in the mid-nineteenth century some scientists began to argue that culture signifies a universal human capacity. Nonetheless in the twentieth the concept emerged from central to American anthropology and referred to all non-genetic human phenomena. The term was used in two senses: to refer to the evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences symbolically and to act imaginatively and creatively. It also referred to distinct ways that people living in different parts of the world classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively. Following WWII, the term became important, albeit with different meanings, in other disciplines such as sociology, cultural studies, organizational psychology and management studies.
Today's Culture:
Many different cultures today can be seen in many aspects of our daily lives because of Globalization, Multiculturalism, Migration .All of these aspect are facets of the multicultural society in which we live and help spread and create new forms of culture , a testimony to the ongoing evolution of mankind.
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1.Countries by coercion
by George Jonas
Posted 9 December 2009
On 13 December six years turn since Saddam Hussein was captured by the U.S. military but the liberation of the people of Irak turned into a nightmare and the divers background of the Iraki nation has become cause of civil strife. In vain the liberators tried to build a multicultural society in the freed Irak and if it wasn't for the military power they would have witnessed a brutal civil war.The situation in Irak calls for reflection and a sound strategy for the country's future.Read more...
2.Korea at tipping point of multicultural society
by Josh Broward
Posted 9 December 2009
Interesting changes are taking place in South Korea due to globalization and a thriving economy. Foreigners are recruted for the growing needs of the country and Korea's living space is thus transformed in a multicultural society.Read more...
3.Multiculturalism and the anti-sharia storm
by Tariq Modood
Posted 3 December 2009
4.Kebab becomes symbol of cultural invasion - and xenophobia
By Tom Kington
Written Monday Nov 16, 2009
Posted 3 December 2009
In Italy where legal immigrants ammount to 7% of the population , the anti-immigrant politicians inflame the people by using the simple kebab as the very symbol of cultural invasion...[Read more]
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Origin of the word
The term ‘multicultural society’ emerged in the 1960s in Anglophone countries in relation to the cultural needs of non-European migrants. It now means the political accommodation by the state and/or a dominant group of all minority cultures defined first and foremost by reference to race or ethnicity; and more controversially, by reference to nationality, aboriginality, or religion, the latter being groups that tend to make larger claims and so tend to resist having their claims reduced to those of immigrants.
History
Multiculturalism may seem as something new, from the 1960's to onwards. But it has alway been there since ancient times people migrated for various reasons for like war or in search of food and/or riches like gold, gems etc. One of the first examples of a succesful multicultural society was the Roman Empire were people from different provincis were given "civitas".(roman citizenship)
A lot of multicultural societies were created during the middle ages and the early modern age. Those from the middle ages were created by different peoples who had the same religion and started to live together in order to make a fist against there prosecutors. Those created in the early modern age were the result of colonialism and consited of natives, and European colonists and in some cases there were also African slaves.
When we talk about multicultural societies today, Australia and Canada are the names which are above in the list because these two countries had a very flexible policy in their immigration system and there are large numbers of immigrants are living there making them multicultural societies, also, besides from immigrants they are the decendants of colonists who came from all corners of Europe. In Europe we have Holland, France, England, Spain who are very rich in multicultural history because they al have a large number of immigrants especially from Asia and from Africa ecspecially the countries they had previously colonized . Many immigrants in Europe come from India, Indonesia, Vietnam and so many other countries.
To read more about the historical perspective of the above mentioned countries you can visit
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Comparing Canada with MIPEX members
Canada is one of the most successful multicultural society in the world. We are going to compare the multicultural policies of Canada with the countries stated below, these are al European countries mainly because these countries have had a multicultural society for a longer time. Also, the countries are al part of the MIPEX, which is the Migration Integration Policy Index. There are 25 EU member states and 2 non-EU member states. And it checks that the contries integration policies are up to standards. Our comparison is based on information in the following wikipages Draft:Canadian multicultural way of life and multicultural policies.
In Canada multicultural policies are important and multiculturalism is more integrated in the social justice and social security system. Most important points to consider, which will stand out in comparison with the other countries are the equality ,tolerance and mutual respect values. One of the most important policy practice in Canada is that the government encourages immigrants to retain their own culture and identity. There is aid given from the government to set up culture organizations for the different nationalities. Another difference is that the immigration policy compared to the European countries like Netherlands, France and Britain is far more welcoming and attractive to immigrants, because family reunification is much faster and easier. Economical support from the government in social welfare issues is much more in relative in amount than the countries mentioned below. Canada, as a big economical developed country, has a need for employees outside the country to sustain the economical growth. Therefore the work conditions are better for immigrants and jobs are easy to find compared to European countries. Full participation in society and the workplace is encouraged by the government. Multiculturalism you can find in organizations and companies where postive discrimination is encouraged and racism in workplace is strictly forbidden. Also student exchange is popular and supported by the government. There is a need for well educated citizens in the future, therefore they encourage students to study in Canada and hope they will stay after completing studies. This is yet another thing that makes Canada different from the countries mentioned below, because in Canada the need for skilled labour is much more than in this countries.
Comparison with The Netherlands
In 1999 ,there were 652 000 foreign residents in the Netherlands: 4.1 per cent of total Dutch population of 15.6 million. The foreign population has declined from a 1993 peak of 780 000.However many immigrants have become citizens. The top five countries of origin of the foreign-born were Surinam (185 000),Turkey (178 000), Indonesia (168 000), Morocco (153 000) and Germany (124 000).
The revised Constitution of 1983 introduced municipal voting rights for resident non citizens.The 1983 Minorities policy was based on multicultural principles relating to the Schengen Agreement, declaring the need for social policies to integrate minorities as group rather that just individuals. Presentation of cultural identity was a key aim. The Minorities Policy covered Mediterranean workers and their families,people of Surinamese and Antillean origins,Moluccans refugees but not Asylum seeker,gypsies and caravan dwellers.These groups were estimated to add up to 876 385 people in 1990.
In 1994 a new Integration Policywas introduced,covering persons of Turkish,Moroccan,Surinamese and Antillean descent,as well as refugees.This policy aims at reducing social and economic deprivation,and has two elements:a "newcomers" or "reception policy" and an "integration policy". However, recently the Dutch government has been more on the defensive about immigrants. This is mainly due to public opinion, but also because of a couple of new politicians. Such as Geert Wilders and Rita verdonk, the latter was the Dutch minister of immigration. In 2008 a new policy was instated. This polciy holds that immigrants need to pass a test in their home-country, before they could even get into Holland. It was aimed at immigrants from non-European countries, for the most part people from Morocco and Turkey. Only immigrants from the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia are not subject to this law.
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- More than 150 different ethnic groups and indigenous people live in the Russian Federation.
- The United Kingdom has continuous high immigration rates, among the highest in the EU. Most of the immigrants of the last decades came from the Indian sub continent or the Caribbean.
- During the past 30 years,the European Union has grown in size from six member states, and a population of 185 million to 25 member states and a population of 459 million.The most recent and ambitious in European Union history enlargement added ten states and a population of 75 million.
- That Papua New Guinea has the most languages spoken in the world. About 820, which is almost 12% of the worlds spoken languages. With a population of only 6 million. language and culture stats
- That over 6,1 million people have migrated to Canada, and that over 200 ethnic groups were reported to live in Canada. Canadian Migration stats
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List of multicultural institutions
UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945. Unesco contributes to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture to further universal respect for justice. It is the heir of the League of Nations' International Commission on Intellectual Cooperation.
UNESCO has 193 Member States and seven Associate Members. The organization is based in Paris, with over 50 field offices and many specialized institutes and centers throughout the world.
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 Lee Kuan Yew was born in Singapore in 1923 in Singapore. He was the first prime minister of Singapore. Singapore is a small city state in South East Asia, the country has three major ethnic groups Chinese, Malay and Indian Tamils. These three ethnic groups live relatively in peace in a multicultural society but they seldom come in social conflict with one another. He himself is known to have put much effort in to keeping the groups in peace. For example during the riots between the Chinese and the Malay.
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 Archbishop Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, Transvaal. He won The Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. He is presently overseeing a charitable organization, The Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation based in New York to support and promote the creation of a culture of peace throughout the world. His contribution to a multicultural society is dedicated to advancing peace-building, non-violence, conflict resolution, reconciliation, and ethical leadership so that all may live in a more peaceable and sustainable world.MultiCultural Foundation
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Articles:
Key internal links for futher reading:
Books and magazine:
- Chiu, C.-Y. & Lueng, A. (2007).Multicultural Experiences Make People More Creative? In-Mind Magazine.
- Ankerl, Guy. Global communication without universal civilization (Coexisting contemporary civilizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and
- Gottfried, Paul Edward. (2002) "Multiculturalism and the Politics of Guilt: Toward a Secular Theocracy," (University of Missouri), ISBN-13: 9780826214171.
- Castles, S., (2003), The Age of Migration, ISBN13 9780230517851.
- Collinson, S., (1996), Shore To Shore, ISBN13 9781862030107 .
- Octavi Hermans, The Eropeon Cultural History Of The 20th Century
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