Page 124 - Introducing Cultural Studies

I
ulticulturalism and its Critics

Multiculturalism is the common notion that describes diverse races
living in pluralistic harmony. It sees diversity as plurality of identities
and as "a condition of human existence". Within this pluralist
framework, identity is regarded as the product of an assemblage of
customs, practices and meanings, an enduring heritage and a set of
shared traits and experiences.
As an approach to understanding diversity, multiculturalism has
come under severe criticism.

Multiculturalism has tended to reproduce the "saris, samosas and
steel bands syndrome" - that is, it focuses on superficial
manifestations of culture and makes them exotic. It views different
cultures in terms of how "different" they are from English culture, not
on their own terms.

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