Understanding Pluralism in Multiethnic Societies

This assignment delves into the complexities of pluralism within multiethnic societies. It examines the dynamics of integration and separation, contrasting equalitarian and inequalitarian forms of pluralism. The text highlights the importance of cultural assimilation, societal stratification, and intergroup conflict in shaping these relationships. Ultimately, it emphasizes the need for a harmonious and inclusive society where diverse ethnic groups coexist peacefully and contribute to a shared national identity.

Running head: RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS
Race and Ethnic Relations
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS
Pluralism and Multiethnic societies
Pluralism is one of the most interesting aspects in the modern society. The societies in the
modern world are constantly changing and many types of people are getting into this society
from different regions with different ethnic identities (Hirst, 2012). This is very much prevalent
in the case of the organizations as well. The economic system of the countries and the
organizations is also dependent on the management of how this entire thing is being looked at or
carried out. The multiethnic society means the societies where people from multiple ethnicities
come together and live in harmony. The political issues are quite strong in the case of
multiethnic societies. People from different races and cultures live here in these kinds of
societies. The identity of the races and cultures is recognized to be as of one common ‘nation’
(Kivisto, 2015).
People who believe in the existence of God and the people who do not believe in this are
also the major parts of the society. Racial harmony is one of the most important things in this
society. There are various prejudices and discriminations in this society. The pluralism is another
part of it (Lang, Lehmann & Yeon, 2012). The thing that is needed in these societies is the
cultural and structural assimilation. The societal stratification is quite open and competitive in
these days. It has been seen in the multi ethnic societies that the minority groups in those
societies will have to fight for their social place with the dominant groups in the society. The
intergroup conflict is quite a common fact in the multiethnic societies (Levine, 2014).
In the social multiethnic groups, there are two tendencies which are increasing
integration and increasing separation. There are two different forms of pluralism that occurs in
the multi ethnic societies. They are equalitarian and in equalitarian (Wong, 2015). The
equalitarian view suggests that the people who belong in this group are able to retain their

2RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS
cultural and structural distinctness in the multi ethnic societies and still they participate in the
common political and economic system. In the second form of pluralism, which is inequalitarian,
the ethnic groups are structurally separated. However, they are not equal in the political and
economic powers. The different groups in the multi ethnic societies follow different kinds of
paths according to their belief. One of them is assimilation and the other is pluralism (Wong,
2015). The group relations are very much important in these groups since the outcome of the
multi ethnicity in the society is dependent on the ideologies. The process of pluralism can be
viewed from fours aspects and they are cultural, structural, psychological and biological
(Calvert, 2014). The interaction between the ethnic groups is very much important for a better
and harmonious society. The societal objectives have to be achieved and in order to do that, the
equalitarian form of ethnicity is quite relevant indeed.
The cultural assimilation is one of the most important aspects in the multi ethnic
societies. The pluralism is quite directly committed to the cultural diversity. The differences will
have to be understood by the increasing integration and separation methods (Wong, 2015). There
is a line of difference between the different ethnic groups and the increasing integration must
approach to this situation to mitigate the problems. There are ought to be some differences in the
society but the aim is to embrace those differences in an equal manner (Calvert, 2014). Both of
those forms seems to be in between the positive and negative. Yet the equalitarian form puts
more importance over the positive aspects of the society and this must be followed in a society
like the United States where people from many countries and regions come to earn a livelihood.
The inequalitarian pluralism is much about the nationalism in the hearts of the people. This kind
of culture focuses on the facts where there are many types of people from different cultures. In
this type of culture and pluralism, the different pockets of cultures are dominated by the national

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culture. However, in countries like USA, the multiculturalism and language differences are very
often honored by the dominating cultures (Calvert, 2014). This equalitarian pluralism is very
much respectful because the all ethnic groups are provided with the same facilities. The believers
in the inequalitarian pluralism often see incorporating the different ethnic groups in one single
culture as degrading culture.

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References
Calvert, J. (2014). Educational equality: Luck egalitarian, pluralist and complex. Journal of
Philosophy of Education, 48(1), 69-85.
Hirst, P. (2012). From statism to pluralism: Democracy, civil society and global politics.
Routledge.
Kivisto, P. (2015). Incorporating diversity: Rethinking assimilation in a multicultural age.
Routledge.
Lang, K., Lehmann, J., & Yeon, K. (2012). Racial discrimination in the labor market: Theory
and empirics. Journal of Economic Literature, 50(4), 959-1006.
Levine, D. N. (2014). Greater Ethiopia: The evolution of a multiethnic society. University of
Chicago Press.
Wong, L. (2015). Multiculturalism and Ethnic Pluralism in Sociology. Revisiting
Multiculturalism in Canada: Theories, Policies and Debates, 69.