MULTICULTURALISM:
THE FOLKLORE AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCE
MARKING SYMBOLS:
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~~
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?? ======> THIS IS NOT FACTUAL – OR THIS IS INCORRECT
EX: ======> YOU NEED EXAMPLES AND/OR OTHER USAGE TO
DEMONSTRATE YOUR THEORY – OR SUSTANTIATE YOUR IDEAS
REFLECTION PAPER QUESTION: WHAT IS “LEGENDARY” ABOUT THE T-DOT?
{WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE “MODERN FOLKLORE” AND THE “LIVED EXPERIENCE” OF MULTICULTURALISM?}
{SABRINA JALEES CALLS TORONTO “THE U.N. ON A STREETCAR”
====> TREAT THE “U.N.” REFERENCE AS SIGNIFICANT. IT IS A WORLD BODY DEDICATED TO A GLOBAL INTERFACE ON ISSUES OF PEACE AND SECURITY, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
====> THE DISCOURSE ON TORONTO'S MULTICULTURALISM SIMILARLY CONJURES UP IMAGES OF THE INTERFACE OF DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCE IN A MODERN SOCIO-SPACIAL ARRANGEMENT ====> DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCE AS THEY RELATE TO ISSUES OF SPACE, POWER AND JUSTICE}
====> THE PRESCRIPTIVE PURPOSE OF MULTICULTURALISM
IS FOR A WORLD(LY) INTERFACE ON ISSUES OF SPACE, POWER AND JUSTICE.
CONSIDER THE AMERICAN MELTING POT VS. THE CANADIAN MOSAIC
{IF}UNITED STATES, AS THE WORLD'S MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL
SUPERPOWER, STANDS FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE & THE AMERICAN WAY.
{THEN} CANADA, AS THE WORLD'S MORAL SUPERPOWER, STANDS FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE & THE COMMINGLING WAY.
THE DIMENSION OF MULTICULTURALISM DISCOURSE(S):
{LEVELS} |
INDIVIDUAL |
STRUCTURAL |
COLLECTIVE |
(1) {SPACE} |
BELONGING |
CITIZENSHIP |
SOCIAL RIGHTS |
(2){POWER} |
AGENCY |
ECONOMICS |
SOCIAL MOBILITY |
(3){JUSTICE} |
EQUITY |
POLITICS |
REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS |
|
GOOD NEWS: MOST REFLECTION PAPERS EXPLORED ONE OR MORE OF THESE RESONANCES
THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS
THE PURPOSE OF THE “URBAN LEGEND” VARIABLE IN THE ASSIGNMENT:
1) TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE POSSIBLITY OF A DISTINCTION BETWEEN “THE IDEAL” {THE MODERN FOLKLORE} AND “THE REAL” {THE LIVED EXPERIENCE} OF MULTICULTURALISM.
2) TO THINK THROUGH THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MULTICULTURALISM BEYOND CULTURAL DIVERSITY.
3) TO THINK ABOUT THE MULTIPLE DISCOURSES ON MULTICULTURALISM IN TORONTO.
SOCIOLOGICAL HYPOTHESIS: THE IDEA THAT
TORONTO REPRESENTS THE MOST MULTICULTURAL CITY IN THE WORLD IS REPEATED IN SO
MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERS, AND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, THAT IT HAS BECOME
MODERN FOLKLORE
{THE THOMAS THEOREM REFERS TO A
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IN SOCIOLOGY FORMULATED BY WILLIAM I. THOMAS: "IF
PEOPLE DEFINE SITUATIONS AS REAL, THEY ARE REAL IN THEIR CONSEQUENCES."
THE URBAN LEGEND OF TORONTO AS THE MOST
MULTICULTURAL CITY IN THE WORLD HAS {THOMASONIAN} IMPLICATIONS
AND CONSEQUENCES:
1.
THE IMPLICATION IS THAT
MULTICULTUALISM IS DEFINED BY PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND SOCIAL POSITIONS.
2.
THE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT
MULTICULTURALISM IS MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND IN DIALECTICAL FLUX
{I.E. CREATED OUT OF THE TENSION OF OPPOSING COLLECTIVE INTERESTS AND POWER
DIFFERENTIALS}.
{EXAMPLE: THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE
VARIOUS DEFINITIONS AND MEANINGS OF MULTICULTURALISM IN SOCIETY}
WHEN YOU CONSIDER YOUR GRADE FOR THE REFLECTION PAPER ASK THIS FOUNDATION QUESTION: HOW WELL DID I DECONSTRUCT TORONTO'S REPUTATION?
{LONG FORM: “HOW WELL DID I DECONSTRUCT/ANALYZE THE TERMS OF REFERENCE {MULTICULTUALISM VERSUS URBAN LEGEND IN REGARD TO TORONTO'S REPUTATION} AS PREPARATION FOR MY MAJOR PAPER? =====> DID I ACHIEVE A FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING FOR AN ANALYSIS OF MULTICULTUAL COMMUNITY LIFE IN TORONTO?}
{SOCIOLOGICAL POINT OF DEPARTURE: SOCIOLOGY IS ABOUT HOW AND WHY? ====>
1. HOW DID TORONTO GET THE REPUTATION AS THE MOST MULTICULTURAL CITY IN THE WORLD AND WHY?
2. HOW CAN SOCIOLOGISTS PROVE OR DISPROVE THE LEGEND OF TORONTO?}
SOCIOLOGICAL PATTERNS AND PROCESSES: MAJOR CHARATERISTICS OF MULTICULTUALISM IDENTIFIED AND ENUNCIATED IN THE REFLECTION PAPERS POINT THE WAY
{SOCIOLOGICAL METHOD: HOW CAN
THESE CHARACTERISTICS BE MEASURED? =====> AT THE COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOOD
LEVEL
1. PRIDE
IN IDENTITY
2. SENSE
OF BELONGING
3. PRESERVATION
OF CULTURE/HERITAGE
4. ACCESS
TO SOCIAL MOBILIY
5. THE POLITICS OF EQUALITY {TREATMENT OR CONDITIONS?}
ERGO:
THIS IS THE RATIONALE FOR YOUR MAJOR ESSAYS ON NEIGHBORHOODS, AS A SOCIALLY
SIGNIFICANT UNITS OF ANALYSIS}
NEXT STEPS:
1. TAKE THE STRONGEST PARTS OF YOUR REFLECTION PAPER AND INCORPORATE/BUILD THEM INTO YOUR MAJOR PAPER AS A FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY ANALYSIS.
2. *REDOUBLE YOUR FOCUS AND RESEARCH INTO THE DISCOURSE ON MULTICULTUALISM IN OUR CITY AND SOCIETY BEYOND WIKIPEDIA.
3. REMEMBER: DISAGREEMENT IN THE DEFINITIONS AND DISCOURSES ON MULTICULTURALISM MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO ANALYSE HOW THE VIEWS DIFFER – WHO HAS THE SOUND VISION AND WHO DOES NOT?
PROBLEMS WITH PUBLIC AND STUDENT DISCOURSE:
{THE SUBJECT OF MULTICULTUALISM AS AN “URBAN LEGEND” IS MEANT TO RESSERECT THE TENSION BETWEEN THE “IDEAL” AND THE “REAL” IN OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF TORONTO.”
1. TAKING FOR GRANTED, OR LEAVING UNEXPLORED AND VAGUE, WHAT MULTICULTURALISM IS. {EXAMPLE: STATEMENTS SUCH AS, “TORONTO IS NOT A PURE MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY/CITY” OR “TORONTO DOES DISPLAY THE TRUE NATURE OF MULTICULTURALISM” IMPLY SOME FORM OF ABSOLUTE THAT IS ASSUMED AND UNEXPLAINED.}
2. TAKING FOR GRANTED, OR LEAVING UNEXPLORED AND VAGUE, WHAT URBAN LEGEND IS, OR HOW IT RELATES TO TORONTO. {EXAMPLE: MANY SIMPLY EQUATE “URBAN LEGEND” WITH “NEGATIVE FALSEHOOD” – WHY NOT – A “LIFE-AFFIRMING STORY”? [MYTHS ARE FALSEHOODS. URBAN LEGENDS ARE “GLORIFIED MODERN FOLKLORE” =====> WOULD THE EQUATION MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOU VIEW TORONTO}
3. AFTER DEFINING URBAN LEGENDS, MANY DID NOT ANALYZE “MULTICULTURALISM AS TORONTO'S URBAN LEGEND” AT ALL. {EXAMPLE: MANY DEFINED AN URBAN LEGEND, AND DID NOT INTEGRATE OR COMPARE THE DEFINITION WITH THE MODERN FOLKLORE OF TORONTO AS THE WORLD'S MOST MULTICULTURAL CITY.
4. MANY WERE SUPERFICIAL IN IGNORING THE SOURCES OF TORONTO'S REPUTATION AS THE MOST MULTICULTUAL CITY ON THE PLANET? ===> {EXAMPLE: GOV'T POLICY? IMMIGRATION? INCREASING GLOBALIZATION OR GLOBAL DIVERITY? MOSAIC MENTALITY? ===> OR THE PROBLEMATICS OF THE REPUTATION SUCH AS, RACISM? DISCRIMINATION, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY?
5. MOST COMMON PROBLEM: MANY PAPERS SIMPLY [IMPLICITYLY AND EXPLICITLY] EQUATE(D) MULTICULTUALISM WITH ITS CHARACTERISTICS LIKE “IMMIGRATION,” “ETHNIC DIVERSITY,” AND “DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERNS.” {RESULT: SOME PAPERS WERE ABOUT IMMIGRATION OR ETHNIC DIVERSITY, RATHER THAN MULTULTURALISM}
6. ANALYZING WHAT MULTICULTURLISM “IS NOT” AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT “IS”.
7. TREATING THE TASK OF THE REFLECTION PAPER AS SHOWING THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE TORONTO IS THE MOST MULTICULTURAL CITY IN THE WORLD ====> RATHER THAN SHOWING THE EVIDENCE THAT PROVES IT IS NOT.
8. LEAVING OUT THE “WHY” OF THE ARGUMENT. {EXAMPLE: “RACIAL PROFILING” IN TORONTO MEANS TORONTO IS NOT THE EPITOME OF MULTICULTURALISM ===> OK, BUT EXPLAINING “WHY” IS WHERE SOCIOLOGY COMES IN.
9. STRINGING POINTS TOGETHER RATHER THAN BUILDING ARGUMENTS (SOCIOLOGY USES THEMES AND ISSUES TO SUPPORT/PROVE A THESIS).
10. STATING CIRCULAR ARGUMENTS THAT BEG THE QUESTION. {EXAMPLE: “IT HAS YET TO BE PROVEN WHICH CITY IS THE MOST MULTICULTURAL.” =====> WHY IS THIS THE CASE, HOW COULD IT BE PROVEN?}
11. THE UN-SOCIOLOGICAL ATTITUDES: MULTIPLE DEFINITIONS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE IS NO ANSWER TO THE REFECTION PAPER QUESTION ===> DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF MULTICULTUALISM CAN STILL BE COLLECTED IN TERMS OF “PATTERNS” AND “TYPES” FOR A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING ====> DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS CAN BE SOCIOLOGICALLY MAPPED TO COLLECTIVE INTERESTS AND DIFFERENTIAL POWER.
MULTICULTURALISM DEFINED THROUGH THEMES:
1. IF TORONTO IS THE MOST MULTICULTUAL PLACE IN THE WORLD, THEN YOU DO NOT FIND OUT WHAT TORONTO IS BY EXAMINING MULTICULTURALISM, YOU FIND OUT WHAT MULTICULTUALISM IS BY EXAMINING TORONTO.
2. MULTICULTUALISM AS A “LIFE-AFFIRMING” FOLKLORE MADE LEGEND IN TORONTO.
3. [OR, ON THE OTHER HAND] URBAN LEGENDS CAN BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRESENT THINGS IN DECEITFUL WAYS – IS THE LEGEND OF TORONTO DECEITFUL? ====> MULTICULTUALISM AS A “COUNTERFEIT” FOLKLORE MADE LEGEND IN TORONTO.
4. MULTICULTURALISM AS THE SEMBLANCE OF UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY.
5. MULTICULTURALISM DOES NOT MERELY STAND FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY, IT STANDS FOR THE APPRECIATION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY.
6. TORONTO AS THE “BRAND NAME” FOR THE MULTICULTURAL CITY.
7. TORONTO CAPTURES MULTICULTURALISM IN ITS “FLUID” AND “MULTIDIMENSIONAL” CHARACTER {THAT IS, LIKE DEFINITIONS OF MULTICULTURALISM, TORONTO IS FLUID AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL).
8. MULTICULTUALISM IS NOT A NOUN, IT IS A PROCESS {NATALIE GALAS}.
9. MULTICULTURALISM IS A CHOICE NOT A CLAIM {CLASS GENIUS – ASLEY DUNN}
10. MULTICULTURALISM AS A UNIQUE WAY OF COMPREHENDING A GROUP'S SENSE OF GROUP.
11. THE ANISEF AND LANPHIER SOCIOLOGICAL THESIS – “TORONTONIANS, WORKING BY THE DICTUM THAT SOME EVENTS ARE SO REAL THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT THEY NEVER HAPPENED, HAVING WILLED THE MYTH INTO A FUNCTIONING REALITY.” (THE WORLD IN A CITY, PP. 20).
12. THE SABRINA JALEES “McMOCHA GENERATIONS” THESIS – CANADA {ERGO, TORONTO} IS POLYETHNIC AND REPRESENTED AS TOLERANT OF HUMAN VARIETY ======> CELEBRITY IS TO "THE DIVORCE" AS TORONTO IS TO "THE STREETCAR-THAT-RESEMBLES-A-UN-MEETING"