multiculturalism
nounUK /ˌmʌltɪˈkʌltʃəɹəˌlɪz(ə)m/
Etymology From multicultural + -ism.
1
The characteristics of an organization, society, city etc. which has many different ethnic or national cultures mingling freely; political or social policies which support or encourage such coexistence.
- Near-synonym: polyculturalism (several or many)
- The truth is that diversity, a kind of multiculturalism if we want to call it that, is the norm in any society.1984, David Malouf, A First Place, Vintage, published 2015, page 18:
4 more examples
- 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.1991 April 8, Barbara Ehrenreich, “Essay: Teach Diversity – with a Smile”, in Time:
- Britain has pursued a policy of multiculturalism - allowing people of different cultures to settle without expecting them to integrate into society.2005 August 3, David Davis MP, Daily Telegraph:
- 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.”2011 April 7, “On a mat and a prayer”, in The Economist:
- Career diplomat Conrad Tribble said on Twitter that multiculturalism “is one of our greatest strengths as a country, and I go to that well often as an American diplomat. It’s hard to overstate the global soft power impact of America’s cultural diversity.”2021 January 19, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood and Nicole Gaouette, “Pompeo attacks multiculturalism, saying it is ‘not who America is’”, in CNN:
2
Colloquial, Derogatory The cultural Marxism conspiracy theory.
- Derived terms
- antimulticulturalism
- Related terms
- multicultural, multiculturally, multicultured, cosmopolitan, culturism