Why Multiculturalism Matters: Perceptions and Policies

Dr Jaimee Stuart Centre for Longitudinal Research

University of Auckland

Defining Multiculturalism

• Descriptive: Living in a society with many different ethnic communities - a culturally diversity context

• Ideological: An approach to dealing with cultural diversity that endorses tolerance, equality, and pluralism

Levels of Multiculturalism

• The societal policies and attitudes towards cultural diversity

– Societal Level

• A person’s thoughts and feelings / perceptions of the amount of tolerance of cultural diversity

– Individual Level

Multiculturalism: Societal

• Policies

• Percentage of immigrants / cultural homogeneity

• Linguistic diversity

• Multicultural ideologies

– Negative and positive attitudes towards immigrants

Societal Multiculturalism in NZ

• NZ is demographically multicultural

– Although multiculturalism is not articulated in law

• New Zealanders endorse a multicultural ideology

– Although endorsements tend to be symbolic

– Some types of cultural diversity are preferred over others

Findings

• How do societal levels of multiculturalism impact on people?

– Host nationals

– Ethnic minorities

Multiculturalism: Individual Level

• Personal acceptance of cultural diversity

– Attitudes towards integration

• Perceptions that the environment you live in is accepting / tolerant

– Subjective multiculturalism

Findings

• How does personal acceptance of diversity and the perception of living in a tolerant, multicultural society impact on people?

– Host nationals

– Ethnic minorities

Summary

• Multiculturalism is multifaceted, examining the impacts at one level does not give a picture of the lived experience of cultural diversity

• Multiculturalism does not exist “out there”, but rather is dynamically constituted by individuals within a society

• “I think another cool thing was meeting people from different backgrounds. Not just Kiwis but other cultures... that makes things more interesting, you know, the multiculturalism in New Zealand. And I think being open to other cultures and accepting. I don’t think you find that a lot in other countries”

Thank You Contact: j.stuart@auckland.ac.nz