Multiculturalism is the practice of valuing and respecting differences in culture.
The presence of the multitude of subcultures within the United States has led to the rise of multiculturalism, the practice of valuing and respecting differences in culture. Multiculturalism includes the belief that the harmonious coexistence of separate cultures is a valuable goal (rather than encouraging all cultures to blend together through assimilation).
Key Points
• The United States contains many subcultures, leading to multiculturalism.
• Mutliculturalism the practice of valuing and respecting differences in culture.
• Multiculturalism values the harmonious coexistence of separate cultures as a goal.
Key Terms
multiculturalism: the practice of valuing and respecting differences in culture
culture: can be thought of as all the beliefs, assumptions, objects, behaviors, and processes that make up a shared way of life
subculture: a culture shared by a smaller group of people who are also part of a larger culture, but has specific cultural attributes that set them apart
assimilation: the process by which an individual or group becomes part of a new culture