Multiculturalists, Monoculturalists and the many in between: Attitudes to Cultural Diversity and their Correlates

Abstract

The most comprehensive survey of Australian attitudes to multiculturalism has been variously interpreted as showing that multiculturalism enjoys a high level of support or very little support at all. A re-analysis of the data suggests that both views are mistaken: while multiculturalists appear to outnumber monoculturalists, many Australians — perhaps most — are caught somewhere in between. Attitudes to multiculturalism correlate strongly with several things: views about assimilation, equal opportunity, government support for ethnic organisations and multicultural programs; the teaching of European as well as Asian languages; and the number, source and kinds of migrants Australia should accept. Attitudes are also related to age, party preference and place of birth. Support for multiculturalism is strongest amongst those who came of age after the official birth of multiculturalism, among those who support Labor or the Australian Democrats, and especially among those born in Europe or Asia. This suggests, other things being equal, that support for multiculturalism is likely to grow.

The Concept of Multiculturalism: A Study Among Dutch Majority Members

“…Few studies have focused on the construct validity of multiculturalism (Berry, 2001;Breugelmans & Van de Vijver, 2004;Ginges & Cairns, 2000;Goot, 1993;Ho, 1990;Joppke, 1996;Nederveen Pieterse, 2001;Taylor & Lambert, 1996). Dutch studies (using different instruments for assessing attitudes toward multiculturalism) have shown that the concept of multiculturalism is unidimensional (Arends-Tóth & Van de Vijver, 2000;Breugelmans & Van de Vijver, 2004;Verkuyten & Thijs, 2002).…”

Support for multiculturalism in The Netherlands

“…Only a few studies have dealt with the psychological meaning of multiculturalism (Berry 2001; Breugelmans and van de Vijver 2004; Ginges and Cairns 2000;Goot 1993;Ho 1990;Joppke 1996;Nederveen Pieterse 2001;Schalk-Soekar and van de Vijver 2008;Taylor and Lambert 1996). Arends-To´th and van de Vijver (2003) administered an adapted version of the 10-item multicultural attitude scale by Berry and Kalin (1995) to more than 1,500 Dutch members of the majority group.…”

‘That’s my Australian side’

“…On the whole, Australian multiculturalism has not been able to fully address institutionalized racism, particularly in relation to national identity (Castles and Vasta, 1996;Hage, 1998;Vasta, 1993). Two articles reviewing comprehensive data on attitudes towards multiculturalism (Goot, 1993) and Australian identity (Phillips, 1998) reveal a general ambivalence regarding the compatibility of cultural diversity with national values and ways of life. 'Celebrated by some and rejected by others, multiculturalism is controversial precisely because of its real and perceived (in)compatibility with national unity' (Stratton and Ang, 1998: 135).…”