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Monoculturalism vs Multiculturalism - What's the difference?

monoculturalism | multiculturalism |

As nouns the difference between monoculturalism and multiculturalism

is that monoculturalism is the practice of actively preserving a culture to the exclusion of external influences while multiculturalism is the characteristics of a society, city etc. which has many different ethnic or national cultures mingling freely; political or social policies which support or encourage such coexistence.

monoculturalism

English

Noun

(monoculturalisms)
  • The practice of actively preserving a culture to the exclusion of external influences.
  • The creation of a monoculture.
  • English words suffixed with -ism

    multiculturalism

    Noun

  • The characteristics of a society, city etc. which has many different ethnic or national cultures mingling freely; political or social policies which support or encourage such coexistence.
  • * 1991 , Barbara Ehrenreich, Time , 8 Apr 1991:
  • Something had to replace the threat of communism, and at last a workable substitute is at hand. "Multiculturalism ," as the new menace is known, has been denounced in the media recently as the new McCarthyism, the new fundamentalism, even the new totalitarianism -- take your choice.
  • * 2005 , David Davis MP, Daily Telegraph , 3 Aug 2005:
  • Britain has pursued a policy of multiculturalism - allowing people of different cultures to settle without expecting them to integrate into society.
  • * 2011 , "On a mat and a prayer", The Economist , 7 Apr 2011:
  • Earlier this year he said multiculturalism had “failed”, that immigrants needed to “melt” into French society, and that “we do not want ostentatious prayers in the street in France.”

    See also

    * cosmopolitan