Ethnic Identity, Intergroup Relations and Welfare Policy in the Canadian Context: A Comparative Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This paper illuminates the negotiation of group identitites and intergroup relations in the Canadian context. Presented is an empirical, comparative analysis of group claims around social assistance policy using discourse analysis. Lexical, semantic, and narrative analyses of aboriginal and multicultural documents show a complex organization of intergroup relations, with distinct and at times conflicting claims. In view of the tensions, responsive policy development requires that historical specificity, complexity, and even incompatibilities be taken into account. (Journal abstract.).