A multi-cultural society? By the end of the lesson you will be able to to: 1.Evalute the extent to which immigrant communities had been assimilated in to British society by Judge how far British was a multicultural society by 1975

What do we mean? Assimilation? Integration? Multi-cultural? Write your own definitions of the three words above. Assimilation – ‘they’ become like ‘us’ i.e. British. Integration – ‘we’ accept ‘them’ as part of ‘our’ community. Multi-cultural – a society that embraces different cultures within it rather than demanding one homogeneous culture.

‘the acceptance and integration of outsiders into a community’ To what extent was this apparent by 1975? Roy Jenkins (Labour Home Secretary from ) – “not a flattening process of assimilation but equal opportunity accompanied by cultural diversity in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance” – This process was FAR from complete in – But ASSIMILATION was underway

Second-generation immigrants who had known no other homeland grew up in Britain. Often adopted the ways of their white counterparts. Grew up – attended British schools. – watching British TV – being immersed (by necessity) in British cultural life.

Some groups of immigrants assimilated easier than others! West Indians – English speaking, Christian so tended to fit in easier however they were perceived as ‘brash’. Indians and Pakistanis – seen as hard working, children did well in school but regarded as more alien.

This did not automatically bring harmony! New problems – Intergenerational divides - young 2 nd gen immigrants wanting more freedom and to be ‘British’ while their parents might want them to keep their traditional religious or cultural practices. i.e. arranged marriages, keeping women and girls in the home.

Areas of tension Mixing more in schools and work but clashing in other areas: – Acceptable behaviour – How, when, what they ate – How much it mattered to keep religious observances. – Alcohol (Muslim ban on drinking kept them out of local pubs = centre of local British w/c culture = difficult to make friends)

Barriers to Assimilation Physical seperation – ‘Immigrant’ neighbourhoods – Poverty and poor housing – isolated immigrants Language (esp older generation + women) Differences in levels of education and employment Unfair application of the justice system.

But there was progress! Cardiff City Corporation built a mosque at public expense Schools set up help for children for whom English was not their first language. Civic campaigners and community activists worked with immigrants to resolve specific problems. Health care and social services were expanded. Some immigrants rose in their community. Integration was helped by the 1965 and 1968 Race Relations Acts. The 1968 Race Relations Board and Community Relations Commission worked to combat prejudice.

Tasks 1.Finish off the table showing forces which helped and forces which hindered assimilation. Can you think of any which aren’t mentioned? 2.Complete the bios of the 3 successful immigrants. STRETCH AND CHALLENGE 12 mark Exam Question: Explain why the life chances of young blacks brought up in Britain in the early 1970s were much inferior to those of whites. – Consider factors such as family (home, aspirations, income) Education Contacts Predominent social attitudes Legal status Employment prospects – How these affected the life changes of young blacks and whites. – Remember y/p are affected by internal factors as well such as personal expectations, confidence and determination as well as the external factors above. – Finally, be wary of treating all y/p, black or white as though they all felt and behaved in the same way.

Cultural Diversity Immigrants brought positive changes to Britain too. – Some immigrant areas became vibrant multicultural communities i.e. Notting Hill (and its carnival) – Mass Media (papers, radio, tv – duel side to this, one the one hand it shows that immigrants were becoming more accepted but it also made immigrants more visible and accepted) – Religious services – black gospel style. – Food – shops and restaurants – Youth culture – hippies drew from ‘black urban cool’: fashion, music, religion. As immigrants became for respected for what they brought to the community there was a greater willingness to involve them in local politics and there were a growing number of black councillors in the 1970s (however in was 1987 until there was a black MP) Apart from a few instances of trouble in the West Midlands and parts of London the violence and destruction predicted by Powell never came to pass.

However… There was little attempt to promote ‘cultural exchange’ by those in power. The various Race Relations boards were weak and discrimination continued. Mistrust between immigrants and the police – police known to be more likely to stop a black person than a white. Racial prejudice became a ‘normal’ feature of British culture by the mid-70s(?) Immigration Act – toughest immigration controls in the world introduced in Britain = legitimised racism? Sent out the message that immigrants were the problem.

1975….. Multicultural society? – only by virtue of having many people of different cultures co-existing. Bleak picture? – race has replaced class as the most significant and dangerous divide in British society. How to reconcile different racial groups? – Argument 1 = ethnic minorities need to assimilate more fully and become ‘British’. – Argument 2 = native British prejudice needed breaking down, positive discrimination was the only way to create a truly multicultural society. – Argument 3 = traditional British culture should not be placed on a pedestal, is but one of many. – Argument 4 = minority cultures should be respected but not seen as central. This is an ongoing debate in the 21 st century and certainly not one which was solved in the time frame of this course.

Homework June 2012 – Question 6. Use the Mark Scheme! We will go through this on Friday’s lesson. Next Monday there will be a full mock.