CONTENT SUMMARY !

.diversity can allow exchange of cultures to happen

.but it can also lead to tenions !

~impt that citizens and fovt respond sensitivly

→ interactions & relationships among people of diff socio-cultural background → harmonious and meaningful

• responses of citizens

. social cohesion

→ close relationships btwn indivs and group of people snd feeling of solidarity

→ this bond can be broken/ weakened when indivs are insensitive/hurtful/disrespectful → tensions and conflicts

→if we respond meaningfully ( deepen understanding, respectful relationships) we can harness our diversity and live harmoniously

• responses of community groups

.its a collective effort to maintain such harmonious interactions in a diverse society. → shape attitudes and actions of the general public

.also developes deeper understading between diff socio-culutral groups

• response of government

. govt have diff respones and they form policies to help people become part of the host country while bringnwing with them their own identities that are diff from others

. these differences can cause tensions but the govt has ways to manage that!!

assimilation & integrations

~assimilation policies (eg france!)

.immigrants are expected to adopt practices and beliefs of majority group

.expected to become identical to the majority group

.france follow ‘state secularism’

→ they belive that harmony is achieved when eveyrone puts aside race and ethnicity and prioritse the french national identity over other identities

. however, tensions can also arise bc of this =(

→ students in france are not allowed to wear any religious items!! (to maintain religious neutrality

~~ assimilation policies are made in the desire to uphold the french national identiy

however, there is also a need to recognise the role of culture, religion and identity of the immigrants ~~

~ integration policies (singapore!!)

.immigrants can retain their unique identites while forging common ground with the majority group in the host country !

→ identity is anchored in teh shared values (abiding laws, respecting others race and religions, commitment to work together for a better future)

→ equality is promoted wihtout granting any special rights to any racial/ethnice/religious groups

(bilingual policy? chapter 5?)

.some immigrants who have lived here for very long would have had time to forge relationships with singaporeans and adjust to the way of life here

.however, newer immigrants would need more time , opportunites, support to adjust to the way of life here.

thus, there have been many programmes which encourage interactions btwn locals and immigrants

EXAMPLES

• • community grp resoponbses [WIMBY]

  . a youth lead campaign to raise awarebess about the lives of migrant workers and promote interactions between migrant workers and the local community

  .write notes to migrants to welcome them into their neighbourhoods when they were relocated from their dorms to housing estates

  → effort to build and maintain harmony in a society. work together to build accommodation. and trust in society

  .made as a direct response to ‘not in my backyard’ [NIMBY]

  → not welcoming to foreigners and not wanting them in their area

  • assimilations policies in france

  . france uses assimilation policies

  ~education

  .everyone is to attend school until 16

  .adaption classes for them to improve their french so that they can be assimilated into french schools

  .no discussion about religion other than in certain classes

  .in 2015 they launched a new course in moral and civic education to promote the values of national motto , justice mutal respect, non-discrimination

  ~employment

  .2004 Diversity Charter was introduced to raise awareness of recruiting those from different backgrounds

  → promotes diversity in workplace and also encourage companies to be more inclusive!

  .however 13% of immigrants and 7% of locals were left unemployed in 2019 one of the reason being the presecen of discrimination

  ~naturalisation

  . programmes to help immigrants develope basic knowldege of being in france or what it is to be a french national

  .they can attend a 4 day course on french principles and values and also practical aspects of the french society

  .they get up to 600 hours of free language courses to help immigrants master french

  → ensures that immgrants will be able to interact with other french citizens and adopt french belives and practices that can help them strengthen the french identity !!

  • intergration policies in sg

  ~communtiy support

  . in 2009, the National integration council launched a community integration fund to syppport organisations in implementing projects to encourage interactions btween singaporeans, immigrants and foreigners

  → build relationships, deepen mutal understanding, develeope stronger understanding