[KHatun]

By: myself

Multiculturalism is the assembly of different cultural identities; the identity of a group or of an individual with respect to his/her belonging to a group or culture, within a unified society.

In social context, this diversity plays a crucial role because social life dictates constant interactions. Especially that today,

emigrations as well as cross cultural relationships are increasing.



This study focuses on cultural identities in the multicultural societies and attempts to find possible answers to this question:

does diversity of cultures push individuals to learn more about other cultural identities?



As an example, in recent years, France has faced a multicultural issue. Constant debates and arguments are still going on about female Muslim students wearing Hijab in schools. According to many political figures this is provocative and is not in accordance

with the norms of the French society.

It even goes on to alter the social-cultural institutions.



According to recent surveys, the majority of citizens in France fear the process of islamization in their country. On the other hand, right wing extremists in parliament are empowered by disruptive propaganda against immigrants. The crisis of economics and growth of unemployment is other facts which increase nationalistic

and anti-migration sensations. In the middle if this crisis, liberal parties are still trying to defend the notion of "multiculturalism"; a recent heated idealistic phenomenon that indicates

different cultures within a society can live peacefully and interactively if equality is achieved. Unfortunately this has failed, as many political figures, such as David Cameron and French president Nicolay Sarkozy have admitted in their speeches.

I believe one point that has been ignored considering multicultural societies is that social rules and norms of a society are

formed according to "one" dominant culture and certainly cannot meet the needs and expectations of other cultures, especially if they are in conflict with one another. Therefore, multiculturalism

would lead to chaos and without multi-rules and multi-norms it is a meaningless theory.One example is the condition of Muslim

students in France, which can not practice Islamic teachings, such as wearing Hijab, because it's in conflict with the "dominant"

norms of society.

For years multiculturalism has been a taboo subject in European society which has constantly attacked its opposition as being racists and extremists. Now, even political figures such as prime ministers and presidents clearly admit that the notion has failed and continues to broaden the distances between cultures.



Conclusion:

I believe our condition in this matter is a paradoxical one.

For years, advanced countries around the world have tried

to spread tolerance through accepting diversities and providing

different cultures with the grounds on which they could establish their communities. Today these communities are growing not to fulfill the goal of tolerance but isolate and separate

themselves from other communities. Now that countries are trying to remove graphical borders, I think they have created bigger ones within themselves which would be much harder

to overcome.