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Multiculturalism

n. kind, joyful professional

What it means

The recognition and inclusion of multiple cultural communities within a shared society.

Reach for it when discussing a public framework that supports cultural difference alongside equal participation

The city's multiculturalism appears in bilingual services as well as festivals.

Words to choose between 7

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
playful
everyday
warm
professional
formal
literary

  • playful

    cultural mosaic

    Fits when an accessible image preserves distinct contributions within a whole

    Careful The mosaic metaphor can freeze cultures into tidy, unchanging pieces.

  • everyday

    diversity

    Fits when variety among people or traditions is the observable fact

    Careful Diversity can exist without institutional recognition or inclusion.

  • warm

    inclusion

    Fits when institutions remove barriers to meaningful participation

    Careful Inclusion covers many differences and may not protect cultural continuity.

  • professional

    interculturalism

    Fits when active exchange and relationship across cultures are emphasized

    Careful Interculturalism places more weight on interaction than multicultural coexistence.

  • formal

    cultural coexistence

    Fits when multiple traditions share a place without forced assimilation

    Careful Coexistence can remain separate and unequal.

  • formal

    cultural pluralism

    Fits when distinct cultural groups coexist with recognized standing

    Careful Pluralism describes the arrangement and does not guarantee equitable participation.

  • literary

    cosmopolitanism

    Fits when openness to cultures beyond one's own shapes identity

    Careful Cosmopolitanism can center mobile elites rather than local minority rights.

Opposites 4

  • monoculturalism
  • assimilationism
  • xenophobia
  • segregation

Common phrases 3

  • policy of multiculturalism

    A policy of multiculturalism funded interpretation and community-led schools.

  • celebrate multiculturalism

    The museum will celebrate multiculturalism without reducing cultures to food and costume.

  • multiculturalism in practice

    Multiculturalism in practice requires shared power as well as public recognition.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Commander Keane, Australian accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated