Behavioural precepts of multiculturalism: Empirical validity and policy implications

Abstract

The reality of social life in a multi-ethnic and multi-racial society is more nuanced than a polarized debate over multiculturalism suggests. Diversity promises positive contributions to social cohesion, but it also presents significant challenges. We find that some of the assumptions about human behaviour made by proponents of multiculturalism have validity; at the same time some of the assumptions about human behaviour made by critics of multiculturalism also have validity. On empirical issues, neither side in the debate has a monopoly on truth. Moreover, our findings show differences depending not only on aspects of social relations, but also differences for particular minority groups, and for recent immigrants, earlier immigrants and for the children of immigrants. They also show differences between Quebec and the rest of Canada as a context for multicultural processes and inter-group relations. © 2009 Springer Netherlands.