Multiculturalism Free Essays

The Canadian government has sought to have multiculturalism evolve in the Canadian community so as to seal the ethnic loopholes which lead to racial and social injustices based on race, caste and various backgrounds. The policies are meant to undo all aspects of discriminatory perceptions in the Canadian diverse community. The success of multiculturalism is limited. We will write a custom essay sample on Multiculturalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now However it is a challenge to the history of social cohesion. Cohesion is what makes various cultural backgrounds harmonize their socio-economic interests. In her purge to identify social discontentment within various cultures in Canada Nakhaie (2006) explains social injustices through discriminative aspects of the Canadian professionals and other stakeholders of the Canadian authority. Socio-economic inequality shows ethno-racial minorities have better qualifications but don’t have confidence in their identity as successful Canadians (pg, 150).   According to Patricia Roy (1995) the intentions of multiculturalism were basically to break down discriminatory attitudes and cultural jealousies. She quotes the a Canadian prime minister and says â€Å"National unity in the deeply personal sense must be founded on confidence in one’s own individual identity; out of this can grow respect for that of others (pg, 201)† However the essence of multiculturalism lacks virtue leading the Canadian society to a society of un-equal minority ethnic communities. Patricia seeks to create the picture of increasing racism in Canada. The three pillars on which multiculturalism is built do not really give multiculturalism any autonomy. It rather creates radical rationales within the diverse ethnic cultures in Canada. Racial identity leads to inequality in the social classes, work and rank and income classification leading to disintegration of social justice and equity (150). Nakhaie draws a picture wherein there is no cohesion but various segments of dis-satisfied multicultural society. Immigrants have poor jobs and poor pay while certain ethnic and social groups enjoy employment and connections within political and social circles. She points out factors leading to this imbalance of social equity as time of immigration, race, period of immigration and language. The consequence of this diversity and complexity in advocacy of multiculturalism is embedded in principals of institutions like the civil service and the civil society as well as other vital institutions. Through them, confidence in the principals of multiculturalism might be augmented in the people however, there seems to be an ideological dilemma in trusting the principals in the immigrants. The Canadian government needs to be more versatile in making these institutions of governance compliant to the principals of multiculturalism through embarking and practicing social justice, equity and equal distribution of power and opportunities to all Canadians in-spite of their race, language or origin. Through this, confidence in the principals of a diverse culture will be embraced and the populace will be happy to identify with a diverse Canada. However, current practices have led to difference in opinion about personal identity in various immigrant societies. As such personal ideology and perception on the essence of cohesion within a multicultural society with apertures of unequal opportunities and social classes (Nakhaie, 2006) Nakhaie is pinpointing the limitations of multiculturalism in Canada as a result of pervasiveness of an individual’s ideology about the difference in equitability of opportunities and social justice. Canadian government officials do not recognize professional background of immigrants leading to immigrants taking lower classification jobs. About 88% of these people learn in Canadian institutions but only 19% of qualified immigrants get jobs they are qualified for in Canada (Basran and Zong, 1998). Multiculturalism fails since most immigrants see discrimination as rampant. They believe racial discrimination is rife through skin color, ethnic origin and the second language. Professional immigrants see no efforts to halt discrimination by the federal authorities. Identity as a Canadian regardless of admission to Canadian community legitimately is void in immigrants. This is seen through lack of immigrant voters in federal, municipal and provincial polls. Social and economic background leads to this minimal participation in the electoral process (154).   Efforts by minority groups in the civic level participate electoral processes is aimed at lobbying against discrimination and racial injustices (Nakhaie, 2006). This inequality has led to limitations in the implementation of multiculturalism policies. There is no sense of identity in many legitimate immigrants in Canada. The sense of belonging and attachment to Canada lacks due to multiculturalism’s inefficiency to integrate the diverse cultures of the society. However this is contentious since huge percentages of French speaking immigrants express attachment to their provinces. But English immigrants are less proud of their Canadian identity.   The contention of multiculturalism lies within the context of socio-economic achievements, lower minority group’s representations in the formal political circle. Native Canadians and those who pride in their early immigration to Canada feel multiculturalism undermines the Canadian identity. This forces them to seek to show and prove their rightfulness as the legitimate and older generation of Canadians. This has led to the prevalence of inequality in social equity, seen within the context of representation, participation and employment in Canada (152). Looking at assertions in her works, Nakhaie is emphatic on ideologies and policies. She say’s that â€Å"one can hypothesize that those who adhere to the ideology of individualism, privatism and corporatism would tend not to support racially targeted policies, believing instead that racial minority members are responsible for their own misfortune because of lack of talent, motivation and handiwork (153).† This is the cause of inequality in social justice regardless of policies that pit multiculturalism as essential to the integration of the society.   Despite well intended policies multicultural cohesion is not achievable due to discontent to social injustices and inequality making Canada a racial society. Nakhaie argues that these policies do not suffice to convince the society of their equal opportunities. The minorities feel they are not equal to other Canadians who pride in their culture and representation. The state polices are clear on representation. Government policies are clear that every Canadian should enjoy fundamental and unalienable rights all which he cannot be deprived by any body (Nakhaie, 2006). This has led to ideological differences about the need for the â€Å"equal opportunity† policies while the state takes them for granted. Nakhaie says that â€Å"this taken for granted-ness seems to contradict state attempts intended to eliminate or reduce inequalities or to change the established conventions and the fundamental principals of social order. It therefore clashes with policies that address group-based systemic inequalities that are grounded in collectiveness or specifically support ethno-minorities (153).† This is the contention of ideological differences in identity and lack of success in multiculturalism. The identity and pride associated with Canadian background is what multiculturalism stands for, however, the void due to various ethnic groups identifying with Canadian identity is what leads to an inequitable society. Various social backgrounds, ethnicity and social class differ with each other leading to diverse discontent with what the ideology of one Canada. English immigrants do not take pride in being Canadian while the French immigrants pride in the Canadian identity. This makes the future of multiculturalism unclear since there needs harmonization and integrations of cultures to make an equitable society. Apart from policies, the state should put efforts in adding panache to multiculturalism. Nakhaie says immigration policies should offer satisfactory guarantee that equity and identity should be a right to every Canadian and that prejudices and any form of discrimination is liable to prosecution. A set of implement-able policies to enhance multiculturalism and create a cohesive society: Advocate for social networks within ethno-minority societies in Canada to enhance and improve their capacity in social capital, representation, and participation. This will improve their representation, involvement and participation in the Canadian economic and civil society Advocate institutions practice of outreach missions to increase dissemination of information and policies to ethno-minority groups so as to enlighten and empower them about their rights and identity as Canadians who have rights like all other Canadians. Encourage minorities’ participation on political and other social activities which will invoke belief of belonging through active participation. Increase equity through equal distribution of all government resources, opportunities and other amenities to all Canadians so as to increase the notion of merit and awarding positions and other chances based on merit. Conclusion The need for multiculturalism has been embedded on a clear policy of social equity and unity. However waning confidence in identity as Canadians within the minority cultures has made the need for multiculturalism to lack value. This makes the future of multiculturalism unclear unless the above policies and ideals are used to up the perspective of multiculturalism. The need for tolerance and cohesion and the ending of the animosity and resentment towards immigrants will make multiculturalism work (Gairdner, 1990) Works cited Basran, G and L.Zong. Deviation of foreign credentials as perceived by Non-White professional immigrants. Canada Ethnic Studies 30, No. 3:6-23 Patricia E Roy; The Fifth Force: Multiculturalism and the English Canadian Identity; Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 538, Being and Becoming Canada. (Mar., 1995), pp. 199-209) M Rizah Nakhaie; Contemporary realities and future visions; Enhancing multiculturalism in Canada: Canadian Ethnic Studies No 1, (2006) William D. Gairdner, The trouble with Canada (Toronto: Stoddart, 1990), pp. 412-13. How to cite Multiculturalism, Essay examples Multiculturalism Free Essays Dry. Loyal Multiculturalism for Our Next Generation. The World is plagued by many things these days now; no one Is safe from anything anymore. We will write a custom essay sample on Multiculturalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now Now we hold the power to kill one another with Just the flick of a switch, push of a button, and even the pull off trigger. And because of things done In the past, the fights fought, the loved ones died, and plenty of other atrocities’ that have happened. Because of these actions taken many people have come up with many inceptions about different cultures that are wrong, and to solve this problem we can teach the next generation the differences between what people think and what Is known about a culture. Like the stereotype that the Russians drink vodka and are evil spies that want to over throw America and rule the world, but that Is mostly from what happened with what Hitler did during the WI, or Chinese people have squints eyes and know bedaubs martial arts skills/styles that can kill you in one of many different ways. Though the point being is that most if not ALL of what is known about other cultures is usually based off of second hand knowledge, the media, stereotypes, all based on first hand to second hand knowledge based on another’s experiences. Our Schools should make sure multicultural perspectives are incorporated into all aspects of school life by incorporating multicultural perspectives across all learning domains. Well what about the cases where multiculturalism was introduced into a school system. Such as Multiculturalism in Canada which is discussed in the article called â€Å"Multiculturalism at the Millennium. † Which comments on the effects of Multiculturalism has on Canada and it economy. But how can we compare ourselves with other countries counties success if we ourselves have yet to try it. Well we could rather look at it as looking forward to what it could bring use in the future, such as moving further into establishing better equal rights laws or job opportunities. Multiculturalism By Small-martin Engle. 120 The World is plagued by many things these days now; no one is safe from anything push off button, and even the pull off trigger. And because of things done in the past, the fights fought, the loved ones died, and plenty of other atrocities’ that have can teach the next generation the differences between what people think and what is spies that want to over throw America and rule the world, but that is mostly from the future, such as moving further into establishing better equal rights laws or Job How to cite Multiculturalism, Papers Multiculturalism Free Essays Question: Mauritius is considered to be a culturally diverse society with different cultures living in harmony together. According to you, is there a need for multicultural counselling competencies when providing for counselling? Answer: The significance for counsellors is that developing and maintaining multicultural counselling skills is imperative if counsellors are to provide adequate assistance to the clients they are charged with serving. Counsellors and counsellor educators â€Å"†¦need to be aware and recognized their cultural encapsulation and work to overcome it† (Vinson Neimeyer, 2000, p. We will write a custom essay sample on Multiculturalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now 77). Most providers are trained only in delivering services to the majority population. Counsellors are unaware of the life experiences of the ethnic minority patient (Duran Duran, 1995, p8). Counselling theories and practices are based on values that are adopted from European models. These dominant theories that are the basis of counsellor training and practice, include all of the major assessment tools, according to Duran and Duran (l995), perpetuating colonialism and the domination of people with different worldviews. However, there is a growing awareness of the changing multicultural basis of the Mauritian society and of a more holistic and non-eurocentric counselling approaches need to be adopted by practitioners. While there is â€Å"increased attention to diversity and multiculturalism in the counselling profession† (Walden, Herlihy Ashton, 2003, p. 109), there is still much to be done to move counselling towards a â€Å"post-colonial† approach. In other words, moving the counselling profession towards more openness to diversity and a greater acceptance of other worldviews and culturally different counselling practices. Helms and Cook (1999) state that ultimately, the outcomes of the counselling process are the result of what both, counsellor and client bring to session, which to a large extent, is influenced by racial or cultural factors. Helms and Cook (1999) outline four main components:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The input of psychological, race, and cultural reactions of clients and counsellors;  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The social role involving counsellor skills and theoretical orientation and client reactions, preferences, and expectations;  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Process variables including racial matching and identity levels; and  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The utcome phase which is marked by distal and psychological factors such as attrition, service utilization, symptom remission, racial development, and cultural congruence. In their cross-cultural Competencies Model Sue, Arrendondo McDavis (l993) explain what makes a multicultural counsellor. This model is mu ltidimensional, divided into three domains: attitudes/beliefs, knowledge, and skills. It is based on the counsellor’s awareness of his/her personal cultural values and biases and the client’s worldview in order to develop culturally appropriate intervention strategies. Counsellor Awareness of Assumptions, Biases and Values Attitudes and Beliefs The starting point of multicultural counselling is within the counsellor in that to be effective in working with people who come from different cultures, one must become aware of one’s values, biases and beliefs. A counsellor should be aware and sensitive to one’s cultural heritage. That means recognizing that differences exist and that if one is to practice within the Mauritian culture, it is important to value and respect such differences. Along with one’s cultural background, there are experiences that are coloured by attitudes from the majority community reflecting not only values, but also biases that have influenced one’s psychological processes. Knowing that psychological processes are determined to a great degree by culture, counsellors need to identify how cultural experiences limit counselling competencies. The counsellor needs to be comfortable with acknowledging and discussing cultural, ethnic, and racial differences. Resulting to this is that there may exist significant differences in terms of beliefs between counsellors and their clients (e. . collective versus individual orientations). Knowledge Among the many characteristics that counsellors must have in order to be competent, three attributes top the list: It is fundamental that counsellors have specific knowledge about their own racial and cultural heritage and recognize how this can personally and professionally affect their personal and professional definitions and biases of normality-abnormality and the process of counselling. Counsellors must have knowledge about and understanding of how oppression, racism, discrimination, and stereotyping affect them personally and professionally. Competent counsellors must be able to acknowledge their own racist attitudes, beliefs, and feelings. Counsellors should possess knowledge and be aware of their social impact upon others. This means knowing how their communication style may be at odds with or facilitate the counselling process with clients. Part of this is being able to anticipate how one’s communication style impacts others. Skills One fundamental commitment from counsellors should be the constant pursuit to understand themselves as racial and cultural beings and actively seeking a non-racist identity. This means that counsellors should be able to recognize the limits of their competencies and seek consultation, training, and references from more qualified individuals and/or resources. They should seek out educational, consultative, and training experiences to enhance their understanding and effectiveness in working with culturally different populations. Duran and Duran (l995) go further and emphasize that the counsellor should not only learn appropriate strategies, but also â€Å"believe and practice these beliefs in his/her personal life if the intervention is to benefit the client† (p. 7). Personal encounters with racism are not part of most counsellors’ experiences; therefore, most counsellors do not know how debilitating this can be on one’s view of the world and personality. There is considerable documentation that the effects of racism have negative impact on one’s health and psychological well-being. Therefore, counsellors need to be aware of the negative emotional reactions caused by prejudice and stereotyping. This means knowing the political and social aspects of a specific situation and how it relates to visible minority groups. One attitude that enhances not only multicultural competency, but also communication, is openness to other ideas, cultures, and experiences. This requires taking a non-judgemental position. Counsellor Awareness of Client’s Worldview Attitudes and beliefs Worldview is an aspect of cultural value preferences that frame one’s outlook. Therefore, culturally competent counsellors need to acquire specific knowledge of their clients’ worldview, style, and cultural identity development levels. Some clients may have had horrific experiences in regards to poverty and racism – which might have reinforced their sense of powerlessness. Counsellors should be aware of how their own preconceived ideas about certain cultural groups influence the client-helper interaction in different ways. Knowledge It is fundamental that counsellors possess knowledge about the group of people they are working with and familiarize themselves with some of the historical, social, and cultural background of their clients. Additionally, counsellors should be aware of how ethnicity, culture, and tradition influence decision-making processes, vocational choices, specific behaviours and integration. Recognizing how negative experiences impact client development is imperative in the counselling process. Skills Counsellors should become involved with activities and functions outside of the counselling setting. They can act as advocates and advisors in order to get a different perspective and see the client interact in his/her â€Å"natural† setting. Participating in community events, social gatherings, traditional celebrations, and other relevant happenings could assist them in broadening and fostering their knowledge, understanding, and utilization of cross-cultural skills. One effective way of maintaining and enhancing good counselling skills is to read professional journals and to keep abreast of the latest research and theoretical findings on cross-cultural work. An important aspect of understanding changes in one’s profession as a helper is to seek the appropriate professional development that will ensure that competencies are maintained. Culturally Appropriate Approaches Recognizing that clients bring with them different religious and spiritual beliefs may mean that they will have values that will affect counselling outcomes. In fact, these differences may even affect how they express emotional distress. Clients may see emotions as not being separate from the body or spirit. Because of these differences, counsellors can increase their effectiveness by incorporating indigenous helping practices and the natural helping networks in the minority community. Another important variable in counselling is the relationship between culture and language. Therefore, the counsellor needs to see that bilingualism is an asset and not liability. By and large, counselling training has followed the Eurocentric tradition in counselling theory and practice. These practices conflict with cultural values of other traditions (e. . the reliance of self-disclosure in the Client-Centred approach may go against allegiance to the family). While most counsellors are aware that assessment instruments and techniques may be culturally biased, they need to be aware that in most cases, institutional barriers have been created based on assessment instruments. Diagnostic techniques fit majority culture, but do not neces sarily reflect cultural minorities’ values. Traditional counselling methods have emphasized the importance of helping the individual, thus going against the influence of the family and community structures. Knowing when and how to integrate the family and community into counselling practice will empower culturally different clients and help them seek a collective solution rather than an individual one. A Culturally Sensitive Perspective When working with clients from a different culture, trust is a major issue that needs to be resolved, particularly since those with power have been the instruments of oppression. The most effective way of building trust is to ensure that verbal and non-verbal messages are not only congruent, but also accurate and appropriate. Conclusion Gaining multicultural counselling competencies can ensure that counsellors are actively involved in combating racism that robs people of their self-respect and of their sense of dignity. It is a means of ensuring a more peaceful and prosperous society in which all people are equal. The kind of prejudice experienced by ethnic and racial minorities, intentional or unintentional, is the essence of the challenge of an open society. The transformation from ignorance to multicultural competence is neither simple nor easy. The challenges require that we develop a more open approach to communication with others from different cultural groups, possess a willingness to understand, develop empathy toward foreign and alien cultures, and be tolerant of views that differ from our own. If we have the determination to adapt our behaviours and attitudes with the desire to overcome ethnocentrism, we may begin to know the feelings of exhilaration that come when we have made contact with those from other cultures far removed from our own sphere of experience. This willingness to reach out, risk, learn and experience others is a challenge for everyone. How to cite Multiculturalism, Essay examples