Discussion on Polyculturalism

"Polyculturalism"


By: Paige

"Polyculturalism" is a term for an assertion that all of the world's cultures are inter-related.

It is thus opposed to the concept of multiculturalism, which its supporters argue is divisive.

Breakdown of "Polyculturalism"

Poly-: more than one; many; much

Culture: the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group

-ism: condition indicated by the stem or prefix

Words That Are Related to Polyculturalism

Acceptance: favorable reception; approval
Polyculturalism implies that all cultures are fully embraced with full approval from society; no one culture is deemed less relevant to the functioning and success of society.  The moment a community fails to accept a culture's presence, it is no longer polycultural.  
Ex: In a polycultural community different races, religions, and nationalities are all valid and accepted


Understanding: A reconciliation of differences; a state of agreement; sympathy
Under polycultural practices cultures co-exist, requiring that differences be overlooked.  Individuals recognize that their polycultural life is composed of multiple cultures and walks of life; success will only come through practicing sympathy and understanding
Ex: Religion is one of polyculturalisms most consistant tests of authenticity.  Individuals from differing cultures/races can all attend the same church because they are able to overcome their superficial differences and sympathize with one another through their shared faith.  Through understanding the importance of religion to each member of the church, the church becomes more polycultural.  

Unity: A disposition to appreciate or share the feelings and thoughts of others; sympathy   

Polyculturalism is a team effort, it can not exist if only one individual practices.  Everyone must be sympathetic with everyone else, everyone must be on board, everyone must be united for polyculturalism to be a reality.  

Americanism: a custom, linguistic usage, or other feature peculiar to or characteristic of the United States, its people, or their culture
 "Americanism" is unique in that it was created specifically in relation to the United States and that its definition is evolving alongside "polyculturalism".  "Americanism" suggests a the celebration of differences.  This used to be thought of in a more multicultural sense in which different cultures were acceptable, but they were very distinguishable.  Today, when relating the various cultures and races in America to the term '"americanization", a more polycultural approach is taken in which there are no efforts to distinguish the different cultures, just accept their combined importance and presence.  




Words Opposing Polyculturalism

 Homogeneous: Of the same or similar nature or kind; uniform in structure or composition throughout
A polycultural society thrives on the diversity of its individuals, not uniformity.  Polyculturalism does not necessarily try to distinguish traits that are not uniform, but rather allows them to coexist.  A homogeneous society looks to rid itself of all traits varying from the uniform.  

Xenophobia: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign 
A xenophobic society strives to be homogeneous.  Xenophobia exists on an personal and individual level, but prevents polyculturalism from achieving its full potential.  

 Multicultural: the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.
"The preservation of different cultures" is the biggest distinction between polyculturalism and multiculturalism.  Both polyculturalism and multiculturalism deal with the presence of multiple cultures, but multiculturalism works to separate each culture from the others, making each culture its very own.    

The below highlighted words is a link.
Culture Fusion 

"This cultural fusion attempts to value and promote all the different identities
working together" (1).

"Instead of finding only differences, we have found many similarities among our cultures and languages" (1).  

“The definition of cultural fusion is, in its simplest form: 'the energy released by the fusion of several different cultures in one single organization” (3).

"...cultural fusion: when the different cultures meet in the same working space and are willing to share their beliefs, values and experiences. The learning process for each individual is enhanced as it is the learners themselves who are the teachers. The sharing of knowledge and the exchange of information in the process of cultural fusion is unique" (3).


The term "cultural fusion" could almost be used synonymously with "polyculturalism".  Polyculturalism is really a fusion of cultures; individuals and communities are composed of numerous cultures coming together and blending so well that they can no longer be easily distinguishable.  The idea is that through blurring the lines that separate one culture from another, there is more opportunity to collectively focus on the future and its successes than if cultures were kept separate.  Each individual culture brings some strength to the table that others may  lack.  A polycultural system, or cultural fusion, allows everyone to learn and become stronger members of the group because there's no pressure to stay within one's own culture outline.


Relating Polyculturalism to our texts 
  

By: Kevin

"Cluster" Terms for Polyculturalism 

Multicultural and globalization: we are living in a world of travel, instant communication, immigration and emigration, and the mixing of cultures and races.

    Blurring of ethnicity, race, and culture: one no longer defines the other--they are no longer tied to one another.

Polycultural Me by Robin D.G. Kelley

'Polycultural' works better than ‘multicultural,’ which implies that cultures are fixed, discrete entities that exist side by side - a kind of zoological approach to culture" (Kelley 248).

When we say or use the word multicultural, what we are doing is segregating the cultures, even the cultures within us. Polyculturalism implies that all cultures can coexist at the same time to create a whole—it is possible and even probable that a person will have multiple cultures living within them at any given time. Cultural identity is a whole, it is a living and evolving thing that does not need to be categorized or segregated within a person or community. Instead of letting culture be natural, you are creating a cultural division. Kelly uses zoological approach to show how the term multicultural segregates cultural identity, whether it is in a community or even an individual.

"He came out looking just like his father, who was white. In the black communities of Los Angeles and Pasadena, my bro' had to fight his way into blackness...He stands as the perfect example of our mulattoes: a black boy trapped in a white body who speaks English with a slight Japanese accent "(Kelley 248).

Cultural identity no longer necessarily reflect race. This young man’s racial identity does not tie him to any particular culture because he multiracial and therefore polycultural. He needs to fight to be the particular culture he wants to identify with. This day and age you have the choice to choose what culture you are tied to, regardless of race. In this situation he is black, white, and Asian; he decides what culture he embodies. Tying race to culture, or enforcing cultural divisions, is no longer possible in the modern world—we are all becoming increasingly polycultural.

"We were and are ‘polycultural,’ and I'm talking about all people in the Western world. It is not skin, hair, walk, or talk that renders black people so diverse. Rather, it is the fact that most of them are products of different ‘cultures’ - living cultures, not dead ones. These cultures live in and through us every day, with almost no self-consciousness about hierarchy or meaning" (Kelley 248).

In the modern era, culture is an evolution; it is something that is being added to and changed by globalization. Many of us go outside the norms of our born culture or what you identify as by your race and have your culture changed overtime. We no longer think of the heiarchy of our identity/culture. We are now just a living culture, not a dead one, constantly evolving. We no longer give hierarchy to different cultures within us. We are all polycultural to some extent. For example, Kelley describes how we no longer order ourselves on culture; we no longer give added importance to order.

The Search Engine by Sherman Alexie

Harlan Atwater reveals his non-authentic Indian (Native American) identity to Corliss.
"Well, I'm biologically a Spokane Indian," he said. "But I wasn't raised Spokane. I was adopted out and raised by a white family here in Seattle" (Alexie 40).

This quote is an example of the way polyculturalism can supercede multiculturalism. Harlan does not have to choose which culture; he can be both cultures at the same time. That culture is not tied to race in the modern world. We can be multiple things at the same time. When he says “non authentic”, even though he is ethnically Native American, he does not believe he is culturally Native American. Though he is Native American, a white family raised him, so he feels that he cannot claim that cultural identity.

                        

  Online Diagram/ Links that are related to our Keyword 

              

   By: Daniel

Not our culture is Polycultural so is our Language "English"


History of English (Timeline)

This link above describes the history and emergence of English and other related Languages. Like our culture, our language, English is also hybridized and mixed of many other things, and in a way we can refer it as being polyculture. 

Discussion on Polyculturalism 

This article above contrast multiculturalism vs polyculturalism. The author is strongly against multiculturalism that believes that in the process of retaining the pure and uncontaminated culture it will eventually disrupt the "harmony" between different "racial" groups.  

Important Quotes from the Discussion of Polyculturalism 

"A polyculturalist sees the world constituted by the interchange of cultural forms, while multiculturalism (in most incarnations) sees the world as already constituted by different (and discrete) cultures that we can place into categories and study with respect".  

"Multiculturalism, which insists everyone be treated differently, also undermines the concept of fairness at the core of anti-racism. For example, in America recent research has found that the application of the multicultural strategy has increased segregation in many cities"

The author talks about how polyculturalism help people to gain acceptance with one and another, and creates harmony between ethnic groups.  
On the other hand, Multiculturalism rises segregation between racial groups and promotes the importance of ones own identity.  

 

Prashad, Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting 

 This article makes analogous of polyculture with color blindness, that we treat each person the same and provide everyone with equal opportunities despite their ethnicity. As one of the quote says: "a history of polyculturalism which reveals the blending of cultural practices and values across ethnic boundaries" and this blending of culture helps us to gain a better understanding about each other. 

 

 

Videos :

  PolyCultural: Whats the Point?

 

  A Brief Description on "PolyCulture: What's point"

The interviewee talks about the importance being PolyCulture in terms of  business and consumers. He discusses that in order to be a successful company, it has to known the needs of their customers on an individual base. He uses the phrase of "walk with them" which referring viewing from the customer's perspective, and make products base on their desires.  

 

One of real life example of that is a company having markets in a foreign country. For example Nintendo company in Japan send people to research about what American customers are interested in terms of games, then make games based on what the customers are looking for.
Only only politically and socially, the business world also adopted the idea of "polyculturalism" to improve their productivity and efficiencies.

 

AMERICAN CULTURE IN BOSTON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Comments on American Culture in Boston 

This video shows a interview which conducted by some students from Emerson College Based from their interviews people gave their opinions about Americanism. Many of them described "America" as being "diversified", "acceptance" of all cultures, that unite people from different racial groups. Socially, the mixed of cultures enriches the American as a whole, and let people to gain a better understanding of each other.  

 The United States is strongly influenced by its main religion, Christianity which governs some of the most fundamental principles of America. It is country where people from different ethnic groups come to work together to make America a better place. In fact this mixed and hybridization of culture demonstrates how polyculturalism can be tight with Americanism, religion, that they provide acceptance between people and unite everyone in a big "melting Pot".

 

 

  Interview on Polyculturalsim

 
By: Hillary

 

 

Analysis of Interview on Polyculturalsim

Interviewer: Hillary

A common theme that I found in all of the responses was the idea that polyculturalism was a mixing of cultures, and an acceptance of various cultures. Though the responders did not know exactly what polyculturalism was, they were not too far off from our definition, as a big component of polyculturalism is the blending of different cultures.

One thing I found particularly interesting was that a few of the responders also focused on an individual being polycultural, as oppose to a group of people. For instance, one of the responders made an analogy about an individual who was half-Japanese and half-German being polycultural. She then went on to discuss how the different cultures that the individual identified with influenced their beliefs, values and behavior. Specifically, she made the analogy that the Japanese half of the person would influence the person to be very polite, and take their shoes off before entering a house, but the German side of that person would cause them to behave aggressively at sporting events.  Though this probably is not be true of all Japanese and German people, she makes a good point that the way we act is based on a blend of our own individual cultures we identify with.

This a key point to polyculturalism as it shows how hard it is to accept a multiculturalist outlook as every individual within an ethnic or racial group is so unique we cannot simply group people together based on the commonality of skin color or heritage. For instance, personally some people may be tempted to look at me and consider me as a Caucasian American based on their first impression. I do not identify as simply “caucasian” though, but rather as an American with German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian descent.  One does not even have to simply identify with their heritage either, I also identify as a long-distance runner, vegetarian and biochemist. 

 Works Cited 

Kelley Robin "Polycultural Me" English 250 coursepack Christopher Patterson, 4141 University Way NE Seattle, WA 98105
Alexie Sherman "The Search Engine" English 250 coursepack Christopher Patterson, 4141 University Way NE Seattle, WA 98105
American Culture in Boston. Dir. Hirokibaba. YouTube. YouTube, 18 July 2012. Web. 05 Dec. 2012.
PolyCultural: Whats the Point? YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2012.
Polyculturalism. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;, 26 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
"Polyculturalism: Not Just a Silly Name for a Bird." Web log post. The Dislussioned KId. Posted by Disillusioned Kid, 22 Jan. 2005. Web. Nov. 2012.
Rokke, Kirsten. "Prashad, Vijay. Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Afro-Asian Connections." Web log post. University Of Chicago, 2011. Web. Nov. 2012.
Short, Daniel. "History of the English Language." Google. N.p., 2007. Web. Nov. 2012.
Simpson, Shawn. "Cultural Fusion." Cultural Fusion (n.d.): 1-4. Web. <http://http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/simpsonipaper.pdf>.