Multiculturalism as the Ideal Model of Migrant Integration

This article critically analyzes the effectiveness of multiculturalism as a model for migrant integration. It discusses the causes of migration in the US and Singapore, the need for integration, and the multicultural approach. The article also compares multiculturalism with interculturalism and provides a conclusion on the effectiveness of multiculturalism.

Running Head: Multiculturism is the ideal model of migrant integration
Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
Introduction
Multiculturalism is a prominent reality in contemporary world. This trend is traceable in
different countries of west as well as in the non-western part of the world too. As an obvious
result of migration, multiculturalism has retain its presence and inflict its influence to the
mainstream society. Since prehistoric era, there are different economic as well as non-
economic factors act as the key impetus behind migration. ‘Exodus’ can be treated as one of
the celebrated event of migration is recorded in the human history. The reason behind the
‘Exodus’ was socioeconomic but human history has also witnessed the occurrence of
involuntary migration as the form slave trade in the distant past. Pluralistic nature of the
contemporary culture is the representation of its multicultural propensity. A conscious
patronage of Multiculturalism can be treated as the measure for migrant integration within the
society, because multiculturalism does articulate the presence of more than one ethnic culture
within the social structure. Intergroup interaction is one of the visible causes behind
multiculturalism. Coherent presence of different group in a same society facilitates the
interaction of this kind. The Multicultural atmosphere gets emerged as the unavoidable
consequence in this regard. It has been realised by most of the people from all community
that tolerance is one of the major factor does work behind sustainability. Multicultural
approach helps to improve the level of tolerance. This article will discuss on the influence of
multiculturalism in over the process of migrant integration.
Causes behind the migration in USA and Singapore
Accessibility of the local resources is not equal in every country. Disparity in resource
allocation is one of the reasons behind disparity in living standard. Poor standard of living
and inaccessible basic amenities is one of the major reasons that motivates an individual to
take the decision to migrate in a propitious territory
In the second half of 20th century United States become the repository of different
nationalities (McKenzie and Rapoport 2010.). Immigration became one of the major issues
for consideration in this regard. In most of the case immigrants are remain excluded from the
main street culture of the host country. The seclusion can develop a possibility of the
detachment in this regard. This attitude can develop a sense of estrangement from the
government policy of the country. This possibility influences the government to Valorised
Multiculturalism (Bloemraad and Wright, 2014). There is an existing resistance in the society
to accept racial dichotomy (Alba and Foner, 2014) in the mainstream of the society and in
another side the Government of the country such as United States has open its door to
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
incorporate second generation migrants in the education system and the policy making of the
country.
On the basis of the research of contemporary researcher it can be said that the country such as
United States attracts the migrant from the different parts of the globes due to its opulence of
resources and democratic structure. This is the reason of migrant from the third world
countries are one of the permanent minority in US.
Singapore is another prominent country where issue of migration is one of the important
factor. Migrants are coming from different Asian countries and settling down in Singapore
due to various reason. Brain drain is one of the traceable cause behind the migration to this
country. The another Asian country Malaysia is realised the presence of the brain drain factor
after analyzing the cause of migration from this country to Singapore (Ho and Tyson, 2017).
The multicultural atmosphere of Singapore has incorporated the cultural pluralism of the
society. The country has turned into a hub of skilled personnel from the different parts of the
world.
Need for integration
“The first dimension of a more adequate conceptualization of mainstreaming refers to the
substance of integration policies, shifting from specific to generic policies”(Scholten et al.
2017). Integration is the form of mainstreaming. Mainstreaming deserves social
communication (Lopez,Carretero and Rodriguez-Moneo, 2014.) Identification and being
identified are two important factors behind the social communication. In case of multiracial
community these two factors are important to develop the interpersonal communication
within and outside of the community. Social isolation is one of the possible eventualities for
the immigrant community. Mainstream society does adopt a stereotype approach to treat an
immigrant (Frydenberg, 2018). In this case it adopts its own perspective to judge the migrant
community. In most of the cases those perspective got erected over the wrong idea regarding
the immigrant races. Social detachment and lack of interpersonal communication are the
major reason of the misconception. As the example it can be said being the land of multi
ethnic community mainstream society of United States has adopted a divergent attitude
towards different minority ethnic group (Shohat and Stam, 2014). It can be said that racial
tension within the country is one of result of this attitude. The need for religious coexistence
is another important area related with immigration issue of any country. In case of Singapore
it is a multi-religious country and the culture of this country is directly associated with other
culture and the root of the majority religion is connected with another country. Buddhism is
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
the major religion of Singapore and this religion originated from India that is the reason the
mainstream society of the country perceives a connection with the Indian Diaspora.
Multicultural approach
While it is assumed that all people monitor their social context to assess the safety of their
social identities (Jansen et al. 2015).Isolation and associated pressure are the possible
eventualities for a multicultural individual in many cases. Sometime, the member of the
minority ethnic community becomes the victim of prejudice, discrimination and oppression
form the society (Ramsay-Seaner, 2016). Lack of recognition from the highest tier of the
society is making the condition of the multiracial community more vulnerable. This
community is one of the challenges for the mainstream world because the larger part of the
society is not ready to accept them due to their personal reservation. This atmosphere gives
birth of the identity politics within the country (Pope, 2016). The political situation of United
States capitalized the multiracial identity of a presidential candidate and presented him, under
the banner of black contender and gain success. The election victory of a muloto candidate
Barack Obama represents this fact (Ng and Bloemraad, 2015).
Global society gradually started to realize the importance of Multiculturalism gradually. The
acceptance of the Multiculturalism by the Canadian Government in the year 1971 (Bloemraad
and Wright, 2014) was one of the major endeavour to accept Multiculturalism by the
government of an independent state. Comparative multiculturalism
Religious diversity is an obvious trait in contemporary social atmosphere.
Multiculturalism can get describe in a different perspective in the present context. in
this context ‘multicultural’ and ‘multiculturalism’ need to get defined properly
because the shattle difference between these two is the key impetus behind the study.
this study can articulate the nature of multiculturalism to judge its effectiveness in the
present context (Aniskin, et al. 2014). Interculturalism
Diversity is one of the major impetus behind interculturalism. this concept has
portrayed itself as alternative of multiculturalism. The critiques have noticed the
problem of multiculturalism in the social inequality. the critique of the concept are
using this evidence to prove its failure in the resolve migration issue.
Multiculturalism. Much critique assumes link between “ethnic clustering and
insufficient integration” (Phillips and Pugh, 2010). the question is getting emerged on
the issue of the application of multiculturalism real life. the contemporary upheaval of
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
the right wing politics western world. interculturalism got emerged as the meaningful
alternative of multiculturalism that worthy to produce the result. Intercultural dialog is
one of the major significance in this regard. Interpersonal encounter among the
different ethnicity is the part of interculturalism.
Critical analysis
Multiculturalism is the process of migrant integration or mainstreaming. It helps the migrant
population to become the part of the mainstream population of the country (Lahdesmaki and
Wagener, 2015). This is the approach that cannot produce any effective result under the
governance of a policy based government as traceable in United States. Fixed government
structure and strong national narrative work against the mainstreaming (Scholten et al. 2017).
But, mainstreaming or Multiculturalism can retain its effective presence in generic level but
not for any specific minority group. Multiculturalism has a generic nature. It does incorporate
all the minarets under its canopy. The nature of the facilitator authority is another important
factor for its implementation. The application of Multiculturalism is not effective for
centralised authority. The polycentric form of governance does incorporate different bodies
for the execution of the task. The support of the policy implementation cans emerged from
different sides in this regard. Multiculturalism is the application of the mainstreaming policy
of the government. Polycentric form of the government can apply this more successfully
(Shohat and Stam, 2014).
Conclusion
Multiculturalism has wide application in the different countries all over the world. But from
the perspective of some global leader Multiculturalism has failed in certain area as described
by Angela Merkel the honourable chancellor of Germany (Frydenberg, 2018).
National narrative is one of the important part of the identity of country. In national narrative
the country declare the story of its formation. It is specified and well-articulated in most of
the cases and can act as the direct threat for the Multiculturalism (Lahdesmaki and Wagener,
2015). Multiculturalism has to find its approval out of the national narrative of any country to
find the ground of its justification (Lopez,Carretero. and Rodriguez-Moneo, 2014).
A centralised fixed government structure can be another resistance for Multiculturalism in
this regard. Polycentric structure of the government is propitious in this regard (Bloemraad
and Wright, 2014).
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
An integration model of a nation is a guideline that must get followed by the country.
Multiculturalism can be adopted in this model but flexibility is a prerequisite for
Multiculturalism and it can be treated as the limitation too. In United States of America the
federal structure of government facilitates decentralisation that is conducive for
Multiculturalism. The national narrative of the country does incorporate presence of the
multicultural and multi-ethnic community such as African American, Latino, even American
Indian. From this context the national narrative of the country is conducive for the application
of Multiculturalism (Lahdesmaki and Wagene, 2015).
Multiculturalism is an effective endeavour towards the objective of mainstreaming. It helps
the society to remove the artificial barrier of the prejudices reservation of different minority
ethnic groups of the country but its effectiveness is largely depend on the type of government
and the nature of the government policy.
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Running Head: Multiculturalism is the ideal model of migrant integration
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