Multiculturalism Essay Example

đź“ŚCategory: Culture, Race and Ethnicity, Sociology
đź“ŚWords: 583
đź“ŚPages: 3
đź“ŚPublished: 21 May 2021

Today, it is not uncommon to see people of different races, ethnic backgrounds, or cultural groups coexisting in the same society. According to the Guardian (2018), 258 million people migrated to other countries in 2017. This means that one out of every thirty people leaves their home country to live abroad. In other words, the majority of people can easily notice multiculturalism in their surroundings, such as a workplace or a school. Multiculturalism has long been a controversial issue around the world. It could be argued that multiculturalism affects our society negatively. Nevertheless, others claimed that multiculturalism had more advantages than worldwide disadvantages. Sweden is a multicultural society due to its open-door policy. In the last decade, Sweden has received a large number of immigrants and refugees from third-world countries, primarily Asia and southern Europe. This essay will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of multiculturalism in several fields, such as culture, tradition, language, and economy. 

Some may argue that multiculturalism's downside is that many people in a multicultural society might suffer the lack of their own identity. The loss of the mother tongue is particularly a concern. Guardado (2002) said kids who study a foreign language before the age of five abandon their mother tongue to learn their second language. For people who moved to Sweden at an early age, this results in the loss of their mother tongue. The loss of the mother tongue can result in poor self-image, eroding family relationships, and the loss of economic opportunities. He also states that language loss, especially for the nonwhite, unskilled, and colonized, often sinks them even further into the silence of the oppressed. However, he also claims that if one can maintain their first language simultaneously as learning their second language, it can come with great advantages. For instance, speaking a second language can provide more job opportunities, depending on which languages you speak. Communication in the workplace is important, and more companies, especially those with international offices, are considering bilingualism a high priority. Being able to communicate with foreign clients or customers is considered a big advantage, and especially here in Sweden where there are many languages spoken being bilingual comes great in handy. 

No one would dispute the fact that multicultural societies acquire a range of different cultures, religions, and traditions. Immigroup argued in the article “top 10 pros and cons of immigration” that multicultural societies are somehow influenced by immigrants on their music, food, laws, and businesses. There should be no denying that Swedes are influenced by immigrant’s music and varieties of food. Rap music inspired by middle eastern and foods like kebab, burek, and overall Asian foods is particularly popular in Sweden. It has also been claimed that racial and religious diversity is related to greater health and well-being at a national level. Although individuals may believe at a personal level that racial and religious diversity undermines their community or personality, diversity has a positive impact on a nation in general (the positive power of multiculturalism). However, it is true to some extent that with multiculturalism there comes racism and people ranking and judging others by their religion or ethnicity. 

To sum up, everything that has been presented in this essay, Sweden is neither a Utopian dream nor a multicultural nightmare. There are both pros and cons of multiculturalism in Sweden. Concerning culture, religion, tradition, and economy, multiculturalism has certain drawbacks including racism (and the loss of the mother language). By solving the few drawbacks of multiculturalism we could create a safer and better country for future generations. To solve the few drawbacks of multiculturalism, Sweden's politicians should strive to make ghettos or areas that are designated as vulnerable, for instance, Rosengord better by putting down money to develop the area and try to make it a safer place to live for the citizens.

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