Defining and Measuring Diversity
- Imagine walking through a city where you hear multiple languages, smell foods from around the world, and see people celebrating different traditions.
- This is cultural diversity in action - a vibrant tapestry of human expression.
What is Culture?
Definition
Culture
A system of shared meanings and values used by people who belong to the same community, group or nation to help them interpret and make sense of the world
- These systems of meanings include visible traits like language, religion, customs, tradition or food, as well as hidden ways of being in the world such as ideas about place and time, concepts about what is valid and relevant (or invalid and irrelevant), strategies on how to approach and solve problems or conflicts, etc.
- Culture gives us a sense of “who we are” and “where we belong”. It gives us a sense of our own identity and how we identify with others.
- Culture is a process rather than a thing, and it is constantly shifting and changing rather than fixed.
Cultural Traits: The Building Blocks of Diversity
Language
- Language is a primary cultural trait that shapes how people communicate and express their identities.
- It also serves as a repository of history, values, and worldviews.
- Finally, it allows us to express human imagination as well as predictions and concerns about the future - a key difference between humans and other animals.
Language diversity is often measured by the number of languages spoken in a region or the prevalence of bilingualism and multilingualism.
Example- In most of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia official language is a mother tongue to less than 50% of a given society.
- There are countries officially bilingual (e.g. Belarus, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, The Philippines).
- It is estimated that globally there are over 6,000 spoken languages. However, approximately 40% of people speak one of the eight major languages: Mandarin, Spanish, English, Hindi, Portuguese, Bengali, Russian, and Japanese.
Religion
- Religion influences belief systems, values, and moral codes.
- It can also shape architecture, art, and social norms.
- Finally, it is a source of different rituals, traditions, holidays or cuisine.
- There are five major religions in the world: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and traditional Chinese religions (including Taoism).
- Christianity and Islam are truly global followed by 31% and 24% respectively.
- Judaism plays important role due to the Jewish diasporas.
- Cultural diversity is usually associated with Western societies reshaped by intense migration processes.
- Whereas, countries like Brazil, Nigeria or India are highly diverse internally due to their size, history, and complex ethnic structure.
Trends in Cultural Diversity
Widening Diversity
- Multicultural Societies: Many countries are becoming more diverse due to migration and global connectivity.
The United States, Canada, and Germany are home to diverse populations with rich cultural heritages.
- Integration of Global Influences: Cultural exchange through travel, media, and technology has introduced new ideas and practices worldwide.
Yoga, originating from India, is now practiced globally, while Korean pop music (K-pop) has a massive international following.
Narrowing Diversity
- Cultural Homogenization: Globalization can lead to the dominance of certain cultural traits, often at the expense of local traditions.
The spread of Western fast-food chains and entertainment can overshadow traditional cuisines and art forms.
- Language Loss: Many Indigenous languages are endangered, with some predicting that 90% of languages could disappear by the end of this century.
Papua New Guinea has a high Linguistic Diversity Index (LDI - the probability that two people selected from the population at random will have different mother tongues) due to its 800+ languages, while Japan has a low LDI with Japanese as the dominant language.
The Cultural Diversity Debate
Importance and Benefits
- Social Cohesion: Diverse societies can foster tolerance and understanding.
- Economic Innovation: Diversity drives creativity and innovation, as seen in multicultural cities that attract talent and investment.
- Cultural Preservation: Protecting cultural diversity ensures the survival of unique traditions, languages, and knowledge systems.
Challenges and Risks
- Social Conflict: Diverse societies can face challenges such as discrimination or tensions.
- Economic Inequalities: Diversity can serve as a basis for different economic opportunities and, consequently, income and wealth disparities between different ethnic groups.
- Cultural and Spatial Fragmentation: Protecting and defending one's own culture can lead to social disintegration and ghettoisation of residential areas.
- How does cultural diversity influence your own identity?
- Consider how your experiences shape your culture - worldview and interactions with others.
