Immigration and multiculturalism: essential primary sources

Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources provides readings into two centuries of global changes in populations and cultures-and insights into both historical and modern political flashpoints.

Multiculturalism is a phrase used to articulate the existence, distinction, and preservation of different cultures within a larger political or social entity such as a nation, state, or society. Multiculturalism is argued to be a fundamental human right, the right to maintain culture and heritage, and this view is enshrined in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diver sity. Akin to the human genome, the diversity of cul tures is often considered a social strength, a source of robustness and capacity. Critics of multiculturalism, however, characterize cultural diversity as a social weakness. Regardless, understanding of the debate surrounding multiculturalism, its manifest joys and possible perils, is essential at a time in human history when the basis for war and terrorism is essentially and deeply rooted in a clash of cultures.

If multiculturalism reflects existing diversity, immigration describes how societies and populations evolve in term of populations. Such evolution, in turn, often alters the cultural landscape and provides the basis for the multicultural state or society.

The resources in Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources provide ample evidence that tensions exist between the range of ideals embodied in "open immigration" and "closed border policies." The readings also provide evidence of the tensions that exist between the ideals of multiculturalism and those of assimilation. The struggles over how to define these terms, and how to put ideals into law foster conten tious political debate around the world. The issues are not unique to any one nation. Many countries and societies struggle to balance progressive and tolerant policies toward immigration and multiculturalism with sometimes deeply rooted policies supporting monoculturalism.

Although the primary sources contained in Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources are oriented toward debates taking place in Western society (mainly the United States and Europe) there is a deliberate attempt to provide a glimpse into the larger and far wider ranging global debates. The editors intend that Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources provides readers a wide-ranging and readable collection of sources designed to stimulate interest and critical thinking, and to highlight the complexity of the issues and depth of passions related to immigration and multi culturalism debates.