Public Attitudes Towards Multiculturalism and Interculturalism in Australia

Abstract

The growing intellectual and policy debate around optimal approaches to diversity governance, particularly in relation to criticism of multiculturalism, is now entering a new phase characterised by advocating alternative conceptual and policy paradigms most notably interculturalism. Proposing a conceptual complementarity approach, rather than dogmatically oppositional stances, this paper approaches interculturalism as offering heuristic additive values to multiculturalism. As the paper shows, the Australian context indeed offers an optimal case study for conceptualising and engaging with interculturalism within an otherwise resilient multicultural framework. Australia’s unique and strong multicultural ethos has combined with successful intercultural strategies at different levels of diversity governance, policy and practice across various sectoral terrains. This paper uses an online national survey to examine the public understanding of and attitudes towards multiculturalism and interculturalism as supposedly distinct yet interconnected policy tools relating to the ever-changing diversity governance agenda.

Examining the experiences of intercultural ambassadors in regional Victoria from 2019 to 2021

“…In recent years, multiculturalism has fallen out of favour in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe (Elias, Mansouri & Sweid, 2021). In this context of decreased appetite for multiculturalism, alternative ways of framing and governing diversity have emerged.…”

“…There has not been a strong retreat from multiculturalism in Australia as there has been in Europe, and therefore there has not been a need to search for a replacement policy (Mansouri & Modood, 2021). In a recent national survey in Australia, respondents did not understand the distinction between multiculturalism and interculturalism and were more familiar with multiculturalism due to its national prominence over the past four decades (Elias, Mansouri & Sweid, 2021). In Australia, interculturalism has not been promoted heavily at the national level, but rather has been implemented locally through councils, schools, and neighbourhood community groups (Elias, Mansouri & Paradies, 2021).…”

Interculturalist concept in the legal policy of the state

“…По-третє, щодо великої мети забезпечення єдиної національної ідентичності, це може забезпечити єдність у різноманітності через відданість австралійській національній ідентичності та почуття спільних цінностей. Нарешті, він пропонує значні економічні можливості, використовуючи недостатньо використаний потенціал навичок мігрантів [3].…”

Politics Multiculturalism of Minority Religions in Demanding Freedom of Worship

“…In addition to the involvement and thorough critique of the identification of points of convergence and divergence of the principles underlying social life (Sealy, 2018). The intellectual and policy debate that has developed around the optimal approach to the governance of diversity, particularly in relation to the critique of multiculturalism, is now entering a new phase marked by advocating for alternative conceptual and policy paradigms, particularly interculturalism (Elias et al, 2021).…”