Outline what is meant by a multicultural society, with reference to the UK at various different levels. Discuss the issues that have arisen form the development of multicultural societies. Discuss the different political attitudes to multiculturalism.
Outline what is meant by a multicultural society, with reference to the UK at various different levels. Discuss the issues that have arisen form the development of multicultural societies. Discuss the different political attitudes to multiculturalism. (20 marks)
A multicultural society is one which has a mix of a number of different races, cultures, languages or religions. In the UK, a predominantly white country, has some areas of very concentrated racial diversity such as in Bethnal Green in London where there is a large concentration of Bengali people. Some areas are still almost entirely white with areas such as Eastington in Country Durham only having a 2% diversity index. The most diverse area in the UK is Brent in London where the white population is just 45.3% of the total. Across the UK however, there is actually a very small amount of ethnic minorities in proportion to the entire population with the white population making up 92.1% of the population and all other ethnicities being just 7.9%, just 4.6 million people. Half the population of the ethnic minorities were Asians of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin.