Australia's Adoption of Multiculturalism
Australia received diverse culture after the migration that became its contemporary defining character during post-world war II. The government at the time of immigration provided societal organisation to help migrants integrate easily with the Australian natives. Despite multiculturalism not being regarded as the policy that shaped the regular intake of immigration in Australia, some argued that the increased migration was a result of increasing diversity (Bird, 2008, p.26). Before migration begun Australians’ assimilated only the migrants who were non-British to continue the mono-cultural way of life, their target was to make them adopt Australian way of life, become patriots, and forget about their past national loyalties (Windle, 2008, p.556). However, this was not realized upon the arrival of the non-British who in turn developed their own communities and retained the culture due to lack of welfare to take care of their needs (Meer and Modood, 2012, p.175). As a result, in the late 1960’s multiculturalism increased as well as racial equality gaining acceptance as social integration of progressed migrants with government acknowledging and supporting cultural diversity.
Definition of Multiculturalism
Therefore, multiculturalism can be defined as normative ideals or ideologies describing how a diverse community is arranged to maximize the cultural benefits and diversity of religions. Australia adopted multiculturalism such that immigrants belonged to Australia while keeping their traditions and original culture.
Perception of Multiculturalism in Australian Society
Australian society perceives multiculturalism as a reality such that it is lived every day in our various places. Throughout the places, Australians have mixed with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Studies have depicted that recognition of multiculturalism by the public has been steadily high. The 2015 Mapping Cohesion study, for instance, discovered that 86% of Australians to approve that multiculturalism has been greatest the nation (Salter, 2013, p.27). The agreement level had been continuous for the past three centuries. Such multiculturalism acceptance is accompanied by argument (Green and Saggers, 2007, p.285). For many friends who are self-declared for multiculturalism, this can be a basis of concern. Insignificant argument leads to the recognition of some distinctive features of the Australian multiculturalism.
Criteria of Success
Multiculturalism debates have tracked overseas activities. Analysts have argued and criticized multiculturalism which is believed to promote unity than it may preclude groups from being incorporated into common national identity and culture reflecting genuine distresses (Bird, 2008, p.9). Some limits that Cultural diversity cannot be accepted without some restrictions. Various Public regulations should target to bring people into a nationwide society, instead of restricting them from prevent doing so. There are vibrant indications in the European context, there are clear indications that many immigrants are not incorporating into national societies as they required (Foster et al., 2011, p.619). It is demonstrated through familiarities such as the residential isolation of cultural groups, the attainment of language, the employment and education of those from migrant backyards (Hage, 2012, p.26). Critics would acknowledge the Australia social miracles of the twentieth-century migration history. In the newly Scanlon Foundation study on social solidity, there was proof that measured social solidity including neighbourhood level. Only about 2% of the individual that strongly affected individual of different families gets on well together in their local area. On most of these counts the social solidity, educational achievement, civic integration and economic participation which is the multicultural society for has been victory (Salter, 2013, p.30). Regrettably, this is avoided by the commentators who go back to Europe and come up with wrong conclusions for our nation. It is analogous to finding a design flaw in an Audi or Peugeot and concluding that a Holden will have the same flaw.
Indicators of Multicultural Success in Australia
The larger community of the Australians’ considered outcomes of immigration and policies pertaining multiculturalism a success. The indicators for the success of multicultural in Australia is as described below:
Attitudes towards migration and multiculturalism
The report filed by Scanlon Foundation National Survey in the year 2015 indicated social cohesion of mapping that gave a revelation of the public concerns over migration to Australia being at its l, lowest since the year 2007. The researchers have depicted Australia to be a nation with the highest levels of positive sentiments towards the western world migration. The recent programs in migration continue in predictable future at a high-level historical government dealing of immigration has prevalent sustenance (Bird, 2008, p.10).
Many Australians’ support for multiculturalism
Many Australians’ have supported the multiculturalism and believed that Australia is the best global and cohesive international society that is multicultural. Multicultural has been important in encouraging the integration of migrants with lots of individuals strengthening the Australian way of life (Hage, 2012, p.30). The Australian youths have strong migration accept nice and cultural diversity. The migration and multicultural attitude also indicate how multiculturalism has succeeded in Australia country contributing towards the improvement of its economy, education, politics, and interpersonal relationship with other parties.
Economic participation
Economic participation is another aspect of multiculturalism such that most of the prosperity in Australia has been associated with diversity and policy of multiculturalism that integrates the migrants in the economy (Hage, 2012, p.27). Despite unemployment differing so much between various ethnic groups, the migrants have had the best participation in labour markets earning more than the Australian born workers (Nunn, 2010, p.176). For example, in the year 2015, the Bureau of statistics in Australia depicted the earnings of various employees which averaged to around five thousand USD more than the average income of employees’ taxpayers the previous financial years. Young second generation migrants have depicted lower unemployment rates they are Australian children born parents. Linguistic and cultural diversity community’s stand-in the entrepreneurial spirit contributing to economic growth (Hage, 2012, p.28). It is unfortunate that families belonging to migrants are usually overrepresented in the lower income decile. Former refugees and immigrants demonstrated the vast success of economics accumulating extraordinary wealth and leading in richness. Also, small businesses in Australia is owned by cultural and linguistic diversity (Foster et al., 2011, p.620). The significant literature indicates creativity to be boosted by diversity. Problem-solving skills and innovation are added by diversity which promotes the industrial competitiveness.
Education
The immigration system that was merit-based allocated a significant number of permanent immigration thereby serving well Australia, focusing on the skills and education whose target was immigrants characterized to deliver good labor market and successful integration of economic outputs. The consistency research of wealth showed the education system to be utilized as a significant mechanism of upward mobility by families of immigrants (Hage, 2012, p.30). It was realized that overseas children performed better than those born with Australian parents. However, in the second generation, the intellectual differences in children between those born of overseas parents and those of Australian origin does not exist (Bird, 2008, p.10). Also, there exist vast economic intergenerational mobility, that is upward within the settlers who assert that achievement has no color. This integration of the education system between different cultures and races have shown the success of multiculturalism in the Australian continent.
Intermarriage
Increase in the inter-ethnic marriage is taken to be among the absolute measures of cultural and social barriers dissolution. In the past 8 years, around 42% of the marriages that took place at one belonged to an individual who is not an Australian-born (Salter, 2013, p.28). Also, most of the indigenous Australians had been seen partnering with Australians who were non-indigenous.
Civil and political participation
Current Australians participate in mainstream political activities and undertakings in civil rights besides formation of their organisations and governances. The government of Australia are far from a state where the elected representatives reflect the population composition (Moran, 2011, p.179). Taking the 2015 example, twenty-six parliamentarians out of 226 had been born as foreign while some overseas individuals also occupied other positions such as ministers and they spoke different language apart from English (Bird, 2008, p.11). More citizens have been seen obtaining Australian citizenship from different countries globally.
Explanation of Success
The success of Australia’s multicultural success has been predicated on Australian society that accepts immigration as a nation-building project. Some countries experience migration without planning. A well-ordered immigration program has ensured public acceptance of cultural diversity; it has underpinned the cultural generosity of Australian society (Hage, 2012, p.29).
Also, there has been a particular multiculturalism model. Both the Europeans and Australia had different referring to multiculturalism in the realm of policy (Robinson, 2013, p.1620). Multiculturalism as policy emerged in the 1970s replacing the early assimilation policy approach that had been adopted towards mass immigration from Europe in the immediate post-Second World War years (Moran, 2011, p.183). In the very simplest of terms, multiculturalism means there are public endorsement and recognition of cultural diversity. It means a national community defines its national identity not in ethnic or racial terms, but in terms that can include immigrants. It implies a national society accepts that its common identity may evolve to reflect its composition.
Australian Multiculturalism and Citizenship
The German approach to multiculturalism had been shaped by the guest worker model of immigration it adopted in the post-war years (Moran, 2011, p.181). While Germany accepted immigrants into the labour market, it did not for a long time welcome them as fellow members (Bird, 2008, p.5). Immigrants were tolerated as guest workers who were expected to return home once their work was done. It wasn’t until 2000 that German nationality law was changed to allow those born in the country to parents without native ancestry to claim German citizenship.
Australia has taken a different path. Unlike French republicanism, Australian multiculturalism has not confined cultural differences to the private realm; Australian society openly celebrates cultural diversity (Moran, 2011, p.179). Just consider last month’s public celebration of Lunar New Year. That kind of open, public endorsement of diversity wouldn’t be contemplated in French republican society. If anything, it would likely be regarded as fundamentally threatening to the civic order.
And unlike the German approach, Australia has extended the hand of civic friendship to immigrants. Those who arrive on Australian shores as migrants aren’t expected to remain mere guests. Instead, they are expected and encouraged to become fellow citizens of equal standing in society.
Australia’s multiculturalism is based on a compact of citizenship. Cultural differences are to be embraced, but only when they are consistent with living in Australian democracy.
This bargain is embodied in the pledge an immigrant takes when they naturalize as an Australian citizen: ‘I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.’(Hage, 2012, p.26) In those four clauses we have writ the contract of citizenship in this country.
Australian multiculturalism has never sanctioned a form of cultural relativism contrary to its critics. Any right to express the cultural identity of an individual and heritage has been accompanied by responsibilities and commitment to liberal democratic values. Australian multiculturalism has often been practiced in nation-building aiming at strengthening Australian national identity.
Civic Multiculturalism and the Racial Discrimination Act
There are two conflicts in attaining Australia’s multicultural achievement that is defending the civil and non-partisan charisma of appreciating multicultural (Moran, 2011, p.180). Where the political sectarianism has dominated, the Australian public has broadly accepted multiculturalism. Australian multiculturalism appreciates partisan countersignature from all the main dogmatic parties. Another challenge it is a concern of the legal architecture of multiculturalism referred to as the ‘Racial Discrimination Act’ (Bird, 2008, p.14). The rules that assurance equal chance in community life.
Nevertheless, the have been recent debate concerning the Act for its continued and extensive misinterpretation concerning its suggestions. For instance, section 18C makes it illegal to insult, abuse, embarrass or threaten others sue to their race (Hage, 2012, p.27). The continued commentary of the section continues to exist, proposing freedom of speech requiring people to conduct themselves in less or no offensive manner. Some current study has also probed section 18C’s in constitutional manner. Australian multiculturalism and the Racial Discrimination Act have shown a spirit of civility and respect describing their conservative.
Community Harmony and Extremism
The element of extremism has no place in Australian multiculturalism. However, people do not judge the entire communities by the actions of a few extremists. Some communities are susceptible to experience racial segregation and religious vilification and are not encouraged to amount a sense of victim mentality (Moran, 2011, p.179). Extremists find it easier to alienate youths when not speaking out with their ideologies of violence. Various challenges for Australian multiculturalism have occurred depicting its success while not making individuals complacent.
Bibliography
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Nunn, C., 2010. Spaces to speak: Challenging representations of Sudanese-Australians. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 31(2), pp.183-198.
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