MULTICULTURALISM-PROS AND CONS

PROS / CONS
Allows SDBs to truly express who they are within the congregation. / Minorities "demand special rights" and it promotes a "thinly veiled racism”.
It encourages communities to participate fully in society by enhancing their level of economic, social, and cultural integration into the host culture(s). / Ultimately erodes the host nations' distinct culture. Particularity of the host nation’s culture is sacrificed for the sake of diversity.
Seen as a useful to combat racism, to protect minority communities of all types, and to undo policies that had prevented minorities from having full access to the opportunities for freedom and equality. / The more racially diverse a community is, the greater the loss of trust.
Promotes respect for the dignity of the lives and voices of the forgotten. / Multi-ethnic societies are less charitable and less able to cooperate to develop infrastructure.
Learning a new language, meeting other cultures, lives, participate and interact with people... are just some of the benefits of this unique and enriching experience. / Because of the language barriers and culture differences, some of the foreign students feel uncomfortable and stiffness in the class.
When there is a project to be undertaken, many different perspectives and ideas are brought to the table, rather than having everyone with a single mindset. / Vitiates the ideology of homogeneity (uniformity) and leads to identity crises among members of the host nation.
It is a different way of doing things and being SDBs. / It downgrades the national culture while raising the status and power of other cultures.
It can make things a bit more interesting as one can get to see other cultures without having to travel. / Some forms of multiculturalism can divide people.
Foreign students contribute to the local economy in these “host countries” indirectly. / Host students place themselves in a position of enormous vulnerability in which their destinies will be determined by other peoples, many of whom may hold deep historically conditioned hatreds toward them.
The more tolerance of difference and embrace of other cultures advance the less conflict there will be. / It puts allegiances to original culture ahead of national loyalty, a philosophy which fosters separate development, a federation of ethnic cultures, not one community.
All have equal opportunity and freedom. / Ethnocentrism.
Multicultural study centres are the potential catalysts to bring all SDBs together in harmony. / Discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes due to the diversity.
Increases cultural sensitivity. / Diversity results in division. "A house divided cannot stand".
Study abroad is important for the development of some sending countries and to establish the higher quality academic institution in sending countries. / It further alienates and fragments the communication and rapport between ethnic groups.
A more global community. / Promotes tolerance not acceptance.
Enjoyable cultural and religious events. / Leads to relativism of the SDB charism.
Novel, eye-opening experiences all the time. / Language difficulties.
PROS / CONS

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