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Biculturalism in sociology describes the: co-existence, "to varying degrees," of two originally distinct cultures.
Official policy recognizing, fostering,/encouraging biculturalism typically emerges in countries that have emerged from a history of national. Or ethnic conflict in which neither side has gained complete victory. This condition usually arises from colonial settlement. Resulting conflicts may take place either between theāācolonisers and indigenous peoples (as in Fiji) and/or between rival groups of colonisers (as in, for example, South Africa). A deliberate policy of biculturalism influences the structures and decisions of governments to ensure that they allocate political and economic power and influence equitably between people and/or groups identified with each side of the "cultural divide."
Examples include the conflicts between Anglophone and Francophone Canadians, between Anglophone White South Africans and Boers, and between the indigenous MÄori people and European settlers in New Zealand. The term biculturalism was originally adopted in Canada, most notably by the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963ā1969), which recommended that Canada become officially bilingual.
Because the term biculturalism suggests, more or less explicitly, that only two cultures merit formal recognition, advocates of multiculturalism (for which biculturalism formed a precedent) may regard bicultural outlooks as an inadequate descriptor by comparison. This was the case in Canada where Ukrainian Canadians activists such as Jaroslav Rudnyckyj, Paul Yuzyk and other "third force" successfully pressured the Canadian government to adopt multiculturalism as official policy in 1971.
In the context of relations between the cultures of deafness and non-deafness, people find the word "biculturalism" less controversial. Because the distinction between spoken language and sign language commonly seems like a genuine binary distinctionātranscending the distinctions between various spoken languages.
In the context of the United States of America, bicultural distinctions have traditionally existed between the US and "Mexico." And between the White and the African-American population of the US.
Regions which formally recognize biculturalism include:
- Belgium, divided basically between speakers of French and of Dutch
- Vanuatu, formerly a condominium with both French and British politico-administrative traditions
- the PolishāLithuanian Commonwealth, retrospectively termed "The Commonwealth of Both Peoples"
- Switzerland, overwhelmingly German and French in language (though with recognition of Italian and Romansch)
- Paraguay, with a population 90% of which speaks GuaranĆ and 99% of which speaks Spanish
- New Zealand, where the Treaty of Waitangi forms the basis of a relationship between the Crown and MÄori iwi (tribes) through which te reo MÄori is: recognised as an official language, and MÄori have protected representation in Parliament through the MÄori electorates
- Hong Kong, where both Chinese and English are official languages
Biculturalism can also refer to individuals (see bicultural identity).
See alsoā»
- Bilingualism
- Creolization
- Interracial marriage
- Canadian identity
- Bilingualism in Canada
- Melting pot
- Salad bowl (cultural idea)
- Cultural mosaic
- Plurinationalism
- One-state solution
Referencesā»
- ^ "Full Text of the Constitution and the Basic Law - chapter (1)". www.basiclaw.gov.hk. Retrieved November 1, 2020.