Cultural Diversity232 Najd

SubcultureWhen societies are very small, such

as small villages in traditional societies, then all people may share a common culture or way of life.

However, as societies become larger and more complicated, a number of smaller groups may emerge within the larger society, with some differences in their beliefs and way of life.

SubcultureEach group having these

differences is referred to as a subculture.

So subcultures are those groups that have values and norms that are distinct from those held by the majority. 

SubcultureIn the United States, subcultures

might include hippies, Goths, fans of hip hop or heavy metal and even bikers - the examples are endless. 

Subcultures can be based upon age, ethnicity, residence, occupation, and many other factors.

SubcultureThe Hippies

SubcultureGoths

SubcultureHip Hop

SubcultureBikers

SubcultureWhat distinguishes the

subculture from other subcultures in the society might be language, dress, religion, habits of work, food preferences, and child-raising practices, to mention just a few topics.

SubcultureMexican farm workers in

Michigan and Francophones (French speakers) in Canada participate in such subcultures. While maintaining some cultural distinctions from those around them, the farm workers and Francophones are also sharing some features of the wider culture.

SubcultureEthnicity is perhaps the most

recognized dimension with which to identify cultural diversity.

While ethnicity is often a source of pleasing diversity, the conflict which has erupted in the former Yugoslavia at the end of the cold war illustrates the sources of tension and outright violence.

Counterculture A counterculture is defined as a

cultural pattern that strongly opposes those which are widely accepted in a society.

Members of countercultures are likely to question the morality of the majority group and engage in some form of protest activities.

Counterculture Although countercultures are not

as predominant now as in the 1960s, we currently experience militaristic groups who reject the legitimacy of the political system and sometimes engage in extreme violence such as the bombing of the California Hummer dealerships by the "Earth Liberation Front" in 2003.

Counterculture The heart of the 1960s

Counterculture was not accepting the status quo, but rather, questioning authority figures and the political norm such as the federal government, in order to find greater truth and meaning in life.

Counterculture This questioning attitude spawned the

Anti-Vietnam War protest movement, as well as dovetailed with the Civil Rights Movement.

The political goal of the counterculture movement was respect for all life and peoples, not the power, dominance and subjugation of one nation over another, which had motivated previous generations.

Counterculture Following the principles of

Mahatma Gandhi to protest the Vietnam War non-violently, many were nonetheless victims of police brutality as they took part in Peace marches against the War. Many were badly beaten by police at the Chicago National Convention. Other students died from National Guard bullets at Kent State University.

Subculture and CountercultureDifference Between Subculture

and Counterculture:http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=H_5fVbTOshQ

MulticulturalismMulticulturalism is an ideology

that promotes the institutionalization of communities containing multiple cultures.

MulticulturalismExample: Canadian society is officially

multicultural, a society that encourages ethnic or cultural heterogeneity. Historically a European (primarily English) style of life was identified as ideal, but with massive immigration from non-European societies, Canada moved away from Eurocentrism (the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture. It creates a biased evaluation of unfamiliar practices) to multiculturalism.

MulticulturalismA debate rages on, however,

about the usefulness of this concept for Canadian society.

MulticulturalismProponents suggest a

multicultural perspective will help us develop a more meaningful understanding of our past, present, and global interdependence while strengthening academic achievement of all our children.

MulticulturalismThose opposed suggest that

multiculturalism promotes divisiveness rather than cohesiveness and denies children access to the knowledge that will enable them to compete.

MulticulturalismMulticulturalism is a highly disputed

topic in the United States.

For example, in 2009 and 2010, controversy erupted in Texas as the state’s curriculum committee made several changes to the state’s school curriculum requirements, often at the expense of minorities:

Multiculturalismjuxtaposing Abraham Lincoln’s

inaugural address with that of Confederate president Jefferson Davis; debating removing Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and labor-leader César Chávez; and rejecting calls to include more Hispanic figures, in spite of the high Hispanic population in the state.

MulticulturalismMulticulturalism in Canada:For:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gynCMpxswHI

Against: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL6S2rOS0D0