Since the boom of the technology era in the late 20th century, globalization has changed our world dramatically. Nowadays, we no longer live in a segregated world of distinct and close-up economies, but rather see the continuous integration of different societies and custom. In regions where multiple cultural traditions and heterogeneous ethnic groups co-exist, multiculturalism comes up as an idea that people of all cultures, either foreign or domestic, are all equal human beings; therefore, they must receive equal treatment, respect, and dignity. Multiculturalists affirm that no ethnicities are subject to any other ethnicities; as a result, no cultures should be subjected to racial boundaries, social hierarchies, or condemnations from other cultures.
Consequently, many people believe that multiculturalism manifests a commitment to racial equality, the conservation of cultural diversity, and the protection of freedom of expression as a human right. In many regions, minority groups have utilized the idea of multiculturalism to demand affirmative action, exclusive rights, and special privileges so that they can have the same dignity as the majority body and sustain their traditions. These groups can be a religious community, indigenous people, formerly colonized people, or ethnic minorities. Under some circumstances, the rights they demand can even be to exempt themselves from certain laws of the host country, such as the case in which Muslims in France demanded the rights to practice polygamy.
However, in different parts of the world, there are different policies regarding multiculturalism: some promote the heterogeneity of minority cultures while others call for their integration into the majority society. In many European states with a long course of history, nationalism has become a highly valued ideology; therefore, they necessitate the preservation of a unique identity. Some legislations are introduced to foster social cohesion and assimilation, such as the United Kingdom’s mandatory courses and exams on national history and constitution for those seeking the naturalization status, or Germany’s tests to draw out illiberal values for the immigrants. In 2010, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that multiculturalism had “failed utterly,” and that immigrants should adhere to German’s values and traditions. Meanwhile, in the United States, different cultures merge into a melting pot that is expected to promote a more egalitarian and pluralistic society.
Cultural relativism is one of the most significant arguments for multiculturalism. This idea claims that cultural standards are distinct and relative to only people from that specific culture; therefore, all communities with their unique traditions should have the right to exist in a liberal society, especially those whose minority statuses endangers their continued existence. According to Will Kymlicka , a prominent proponent of multiculturalism and defender of minority group rights, these communities give their members “meaningful ways of life across the full range of human activities, including social, educational, religious, recreational, and economic life, encompassing both public and private spheres.” Therefore, protecting these cultures by granting group rights can ensure people from these communities have the chance to follow a tradition of their own and the capacity to make choices regarding how they want to live their lives, independent of the majority society in which they live. Granting group rights and taking affirmative action can also help prevent cultural losses due to globalization and assimilation of minority traditions into the majority culture. As immigrants sometimes have to adjust to their host countries’ ways of life, if there is no affirmative action to preserve their heritages, they may eventually forsake their traditions, leading to the deaths of some minority cultures and languages.
