Ethnicity & Policies Flashcards
What are the 3 approaches the government took towards increasing ethnic minorities in the UK, 1960-1990s?
1960-70s - assimilation
1980s - multiculturalism
1990s - social inclusion
What is assimilation?
Expecting and encouraging ethnic minorities to integrate themselves into UK culture, ‘becoming British’
In education: teaching students English and British culture
What is positive about assimilation?
Having a shared culture creates social solidarity and brings people together
What is negative about assimilation?
Encourages ethnic minorities to abandon their own cultures
African-Caribbean students can speak English, but still underachieve. The real causes of underachievement are poverty and racism, not language
What is multiculturalism?
Encouraging many cultures to live alongside each other, respecting each others’ differences
In education: teaching about other cultures in school
What is positive about multiculturalism?
Spreads awareness about other cultures
What is negative about multiculturalism?
Tokenism - looks like the government is making change, without addressing real problems, e.g. reducing institutional racism
New Right: education should promote a shared culture, not create divisions
What is social inclusion?
Creating policies to encourage different cultures to live alongside each other, and putting in protections for ethnic minorities
In education: monitoring exam results for ethnic minorities and promoting racial equality in schools
What is positive about social inclusion?
Monitoring exam results means that the government can see which ethnic minorities need more support
What is negative about social inclusion?
Mirza (2005): takes a ‘soft approach’ and blames the victims, focussing on cultural differences rather than structural, internal issues
Gillborn: focus should be on policies that are institutionally racist, such as the ethnocentric curriculum
