Unit 3
It’s a Small World
LEAD-IN
…It's time for all of us to recognize
that different cultures have different values.
There is no denying the differences between
the West and the Muslim world. That's the
truth about world ethnicity, and no amount
of politically correct wishful thinking will
change that truth.
Countries that ignore that truth put
themselves at grave risk of internal discord,
subversion and civil war.
Either a country is united in its
common culture or it becomes disunited in
its multiculturalism…
James P. Pinkerton, Newsday.com
February 7, 2006
READING 1: Skim the text, word its message and answer the questions that
follow
The End of Tolerance
Farewell, multiculturalism. A cartoon backlash is pushing Europe to insist
upon its values.
By Stefan Theil
Newsweek International
March 6, 2006
The world has long looked upon the Dutch as the very model of a modern,
multicultural society. Open and liberal, the tiny seagoing nation that invented the
globalized economy in the 1600s prided itself on a history of taking in all comers,
be they Indonesian or Turkish, African or Chinese.
How different things look today. Dutch borders have been virtually shut.
New immigration is down to a trickle. The great cosmopolitan port city of
Rotterdam just published a code of conduct requiring Dutch be spoken in public.
Parliament recently legislated a countrywide ban on wearing the burqa1 in public.
What's going on here? Weren't the Dutch supposed to be the nicest people on earth,
the most tolerant nation in Europe, a melting pot for minorities and immigrants
since the Renaissance? No longer, and in this the Dutch are once again at the
forefront of changes in Europe. This time, the Dutch model for Europe is one of
multiculturalism besieged, if not plain defunct.
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This helps explain Europe's unusually robust reaction to the cartoon crisis,
which continued with riots in Nigeria and Pakistan that have left over 100 dead.
There were apologies, to be sure, for causing offense after a small Danish paper
published a dozen cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. But on one point European
leaders were united and bluntly clear: they would not tolerate any limits on
European newspapers' rights to publish. "Freedom of speech is not up for
negotiation," declared Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, summing up a
consensus that has only grown stronger as the cries of outrage from the Muslim
world grew louder.
Welcome to the end of tolerance, or at least to the nonnegotiable limits to
what Europeans will tolerate. After decades of relatively unfettered immigration
and cultural laissez faire when it came to accepting people of differing values and
social mores, there are signs that a potentially ugly backlash is setting in.
But if Europeans aim to build multiethnic societies that play by their rules,
they'll also have to get their heads around the fact that this new world will be
multireligious, too—a fact that poses awkward challenges. Over much of Europe,
for example, established Christian churches enjoy special state privileges and
subsidies. Most mosques, by contrast, are hidden in converted shops or tenement
apartments. In Copenhagen, a 15-year plan —to build a national mosque has
become mired in red tape and local opposition. A German state recently passed a
law banning a hijab2 in schools—but not yarmulkes or nuns’ habits.
Until such double standards can be abolished and a new equality established,
Europe's new toughness will feel like forced integration. It's a form of creating a
second-class citizenship. All the burden of change is placed on the immigrant. And
if that's not to be the case, then Europeans will almost certainly have to accord
Muslim faiths the same status accorded Christianity.
It's also clear that if Europeans want their immigrants to behave like
Europeans, then they must be willing to accept them as Europeans, too. That's
where many societies that long thought of themselves as culturally homogenous
have problems. Being German can no longer be defined on ethnic lines. It's an
open question whether Germans, Dutch, or Danes will ever truly accept a
multiethnic, multireligious "Germanness," "Dutchness" or "Danishness." But given
the immigrant and demographic trajectories of Europe's future, there is little choice
but to try.
1.
Burqa (burka) - a long, loose garment covering the whole body from head
to feet, worn in public by women in many Muslim countries
2.
Hijab - the religious dress code which applies to both women and men. To
observe Hijab women should wear a head covering in public. Just like women, men
should wear loose, long and non-transparent clothing so as not to attract attention
from the opposite gender to their physical appearance. The religion itself allows
both Muslim men and women to wear clothes of their choice provided they comply
with the tenets of modesty and avoiding clothes that are flashy or extravagant.
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Answer the questions:
1. What is cultural laissez faire?
2. Should the government have a right to restrict people’s clothing choices?
3. “All the burden of change is placed on the immigrant” – is this entirely true?
What concessions are necessary from each group?
4. Should any religions be given special treatment by the state? (tax
exemptions for churches)
5. Should tolerance be legislated (either in terms of antidiscrimination laws or
restrictions on behaviour that could be offensive)?
6. What does it mean “to behave like Europeans”? Can someone respect
European values while maintaining a foreign culture and religion? Are
European values compatible with Islam?
READING 2: Scan the text to be able to describe the models of the population
diversity management
The Melting Pot, the Salad Bowl, and the Confucian Ideal
James Farrer
January 31, 2008
Many political analysts concur that we are entering a multipolar world order.
Some of them argue that the new world order will be a tripolar competition
between Europe, China, and the United States, each struggling to gain and
maintain influence over a set of second-tier powers and peripheral regions. Yet,
this imperial competition will not simply take place in terms of foreign policy.
Immigration and social policies directed at ethnic minorities are related to foreign
policy and the management of foreign alliances. In other words, the different
models of empire represented by America, Europe, and China are in part a
reflection of the management of internal population diversity.
First, despite some academic rhetoric to the contrary, the United States
remains a melting-pot1 nation, bringing in millions of people and incorporating
them into an Anglo-American civilization based on broadly shared liberal ideals—
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Anti-immigration ideologues may
challenge this view of a borderless American dream, but it remains the attraction
for tens of millions of documented and undocumented immigrants hoping to stay
in the United States.
Because of this widely accepted model of immigrant incorporation, most of
the millions of immigrants do learn English (or their children certainly do), and
there are few foreign political extremists among the largely assimilated U.S.
immigrant populations. Similarly, American foreign policy also is based upon the
principle that most people want the same things that Americans want: democratic,
liberal capitalism. Things can go wrong when U.S. presidents misjudge the
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willingness of foreign populations to embrace the American dream, but it remains
the consistent touchstone of American foreign policy, good or bad.
In contrast, European immigrant policies have generally represented much
more of a "salad bowl"2 approach to immigrant incorporation—based on an ideal
of multiculturalism and the coexistence of populations that retain their own
customs and identities. Within individual European countries, it is hard to reverse
the perception that immigrants, especially those from Africa and Asia, are social
and political outsiders, and hard to persuade these immigrants that they can truly
be "German" or "Dutch." Despite the diversity of its contents, the salad's "bowl"
remains strong, based on the ideals of universal human rights and strong juridical
and political institutions. The Enlightenment basis of European empire is very
similar to the United States, but the political structure is obviously quite different.
Comparatively speaking, Europe's model of a multiethnic society is weaker
in one sense (involving a weaker sense of social solidarity than the U.S. model)
and stronger in another (based on a commitment to a cosmopolitan or
supranational juridical order, including such truly global institutions as the
International Criminal Court). Europe, by creating a salad bowl of nationalities
scattered across national boundaries, allows for a much more expansive but also
potentially explosive mixture of cultures. But it also presents an attractive model of
a cosmopolitan international political order, based on supranational institutions
without the requirement to assimilate to a common language and culture. To the
extent this model functions within immigrant Europe, it may become attractive
globally.
China, meanwhile, presents a very different model of dealing with ethnic
and national differences within its own borders. Over many dynasties, the Chinese
empire developed a civilizational model of imperial tutelage based on a principle
of moral leadership enshrined in Confucian doctrines. The Confucian ideal implied
that anyone could "become Chinese" by learning the proper behaviors and thoughts
of a scholar.
In reality, however, the Chinese model of managing ethnic minorities and
foreign nationals owes much more to the Soviet Union's model of a multiethnic
socialist state than to Confucian principles. Similar to the USSR, the People's
Republic of China recognizes 55 "national minorities," many living in designated
"autonomous regions." Although China's minorities comprise less than 10 percent
of the population, they occupy important strategic areas in western China. They are
given special, separate, and sometimes advantageous status in social matters such
as education and birth control, but they are culturally marginal and politically
subordinate to the majority Han.
Despite the collapse of the multiethnic Soviet Union, the Chinese have stood
by this Soviet-style model of managing ethnic minorities, using a mix of force,
Han colonization, and economic incentives to keep minority populations within the
state, while still not abandoning the overt principles of respecting ethnic diversity.
Similarly, foreigners living in China are treated as "special guests," but there are
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many policies geared toward limiting their influence on the majority Chinese
population.
Foreign policy and internal ethnic and immigration policy are linked at a
fundamental level. Nations that base their claims to leadership on universal
principles will be judged on how they exercise these principles in internal policies
toward foreign and minority populations. Successful immigrant countries will have
much greater success projecting power in an increasingly globalized and mobile
world. The American, European, and Chinese models of empire or influence are
not incompatible. Notions of difference can be made to coexist with notions of
universality, and this is what is happening in practice.
READING NOTES
Melting-pot - is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more
homogeneous, with different elements "melting together". It is particularly used to
describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States.
The first use of the concept of immigrants "melting" into the receiving
culture is found in the writings of J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur. In his Letters
from an American Farmer (1782) Crevecoeur writes, that the American is one who
"leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones
from the new mode of life he has embraced, the government he obeys, and the new
rank he holds. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men,
whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world."
The salad bowl concept suggests that many different cultures combine like a
salad, as opposed to the more traditional notion of a cultural melting pot. In
Canada this concept is more commonly known as the cultural mosaic. In the salad
bowl model, various cultures are juxtaposed — like salad ingredients — but do not
merge together into a single homogeneous culture. Each culture keeps its own
distinct qualities. This idea proposes a society of many individual, "pure" cultures,
and the term has become more politically correct than melting pot, since the latter
suggests that ethnic groups may be unable to preserve their cultures due to
assimilation.
SPEAKING: TEAMWORK
In two teams brainstorm to answer the following questions:
1. What are the three models of managing population diversity? Say, which of
them in your opinion is the most viable. Give your reasons.
2. How can immigrants be encouraged / helped to integrate into society while
still maintaining their cultural and religious identities? What should
governments do?
Draft a list of measures that should be taken to deal with the problem.
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Ex.1 Find words in column B corresponding to the definition in column A:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
A
to appoint (so) to a specified office or
post, to assign
to give up completely (a practice)
a criterion by which something is
judged or recognized
to strongly suggest the truth or
existence of (sth not stated)
so different in nature as to be incapable
of coexisting
to accept (a belief, theory) willingly; to
include or contain (sth) as a constituent
part
to continue to have (something); keep
possession of
to take in or contain (sth) as part of a
whole; include
to absorb and integrate (people, ideas)
into a wider society or culture
a thing that motivates or encourages
someone to do sth
be of the same opinion; agree
l) to consist of; be made up of
B
1. concur with
2. to incorporate
3. to assimilate
4. to embrace
5. a touchstone
6. to retain
7. to imply
8. to designate
9. to comprise
10.incentives
11.to abandon
12.incompatible
Ex.2 Fill in the gaps with the following verbs making necessary changes.
Each verb can be used twice:
to incorporate, to embrace, to retained, to comprise, to designate, to imply, to
abandon
1. The Balinese Hindus __________ the majority of the island's population in this
Muslim-majority nation.
2. Syria’s government refused to implement the Arab League’s peace plan by
__________ deadline.
3. During a Republican presidential debate, several candidates __________ the
idea of the US using covert operations to help solve diplomatic problems.
4. Even as his Arab allies __________ him, Syrian President still has a strong
bulwark to prevent his meeting the same fate as the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia or
Libya.
5. In two contested races, both incumbents their __________ seats with the sole
newcomer.
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6. Italy's new government __________ well-respected figures, but Prime Minister
will have to act fast to pass unpopular major reforms.
7. It's time to __________ the UN convention on the rights of the child into UK
law.
8. Two reserved parking spots were specifically __________: one for the mayor
and the other for the chief administrative officer.
9. The words "arrested" and "charged" do not __________ guilt.
10. Italy __________ the Women's World Cup volleyball title after the US was
swept by host Japan in the last match of the tournament.
11. Entry into the competition __________ acceptance of these rules.
12. There are five basic foods that every athlete should __________ into their
diet.
13. The reasons why people __________ religion are that they have intellectual
doubts and want to do things religion forbids.
14. Labor unions are starting __________ some of the bold tactics and social
media skills of the Occupy movement.
READING 3: READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT
FOLLOW
DISUNITED EUROPE: The European unity and diversity
Northern and Southern Europe are very different places. Even on this broad
scale, Europe is thus an extraordinarily diverse portrait of economic, political and
social conditions. The foundation of the European project was the idea that these
nations could be combined into a single economic regime that would mature into a
single united political entity. This was, on reflection, a rather extraordinary idea.
Europeans, of course, do not think of themselves as Mediterranean or
Northern European. They think of themselves as Greek or Spanish, Danish or
French. Europe is divided into nations, and for most Europeans, identification with
their particular nation comes first. The European Union was designed to create a
European identity while retaining the nation-state where the individual identified
his fate with the fate of the nation.
During the generation of prosperity between the early 1990s and 2008, the
question of European identity and national identity really did not arise. Being a
European was completely compatible with being a Greek. Prosperity meant there
was no choice to make. Economic crisis meant that choices had to be made,
between the interests of Europe, the interests of Germany and the interests of
Greece, as they were no longer the same.
The nation-state was real. We could see this earliest and best not in the
economic arena, but in the area of foreign policy and national defence. The
Europeans as a whole never managed to develop either. The foreign policies of the
United Kingdom, Germany and Poland were quite different and in many ways at
odds. And war, even more than economics, is the sphere in which nations endure
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the greatest pain and risk. None of the European nations was prepared to put the
bulk of its armed forces under the command of a European government nor were
they prepared to cooperate in defence matters unless it was in their interest. The
unwillingness of the Europeans to transfer sovereignty in foreign and defence
matters to the European Parliament and a European president was the clearest sign
that the Europeans had not managed to reconcile European and national identity.
There was another impulse behind the idea of Europe. Most of the European
nations, individually, were regional powers at best, unable to operate globally.
They were therefore weaker than the United States. Europe united would not only
be able to operate globally, it would be the equal of the United States. If the nationstates of Europe were no longer great individually, Europe as a whole could be.
Embedded in the idea of Europe, particularly in the Gaullist view of it, was the
idea of Europe as a whole regaining its place in the world, the place it lost after
two world wars. That clearly is not going to happen. There is no European foreign
and defence policy, no European army, no European commander in chief. There is
not even a common banking or budgetary policy. Europe will not counterbalance
the United States because, in the end, Europeans do not share a common vision of
Europe, a common interest in the world or a mutual trust. Each nation wants to
control its own fate.
The Europeans like their nations and want to retain them. After all, the
nation is who they actually are. The question, then, is simple: Given that Europe
never came together in terms of identity, and given that the economic crisis is
elevating national interest well over European interest, where does this all wind
up? The European Union is an association, at most an alliance and not a
transnational state. There was an idea of making it such a state, but that idea failed
a while ago. As an alliance, it is a system of relationships among sovereign states.
They participate in it to the extent that it suits their self-interest or fail to participate
when they please. In the end, what we have learned is that Europe is not a country.
It is a region, and in this region there are nations and these nations are comprised
of people united by shared history and shared fates. The other nations of Europe
may pose problems for these people, but in the end, they share neither a common
moral commitment nor a common fate. This means that nationalism is not dead in
Europe, and neither is history. And the complacency with which Europeans have
faced their future, particularly when it has concerned geopolitical tensions within
Europe, might well prove premature. Europe is Europe, and its history cannot be
dismissed as obsolete, much less over.
1. What is a nation-state?
2. How did creation of the EU compare to the idea of retaining national
identity?
3. What was the clearest sign that the Europeans had not managed to reconcile
European and national identity?
4. What prevents Europe from regaining its place in the world?
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READING 3: WORKING WITH TWO TEXTS
Discuss these questions in groups:
 What are advantages and disadvantages of the EU enlargement?
 Does Europe have a president or a government?
 Do the EU laws take precedence over domestic laws of the EU member
states?
Read the two texts answer the following question:
What are the most likely scenarios for the future of the European Union?
TEXT 1
In EU, nation-state appears to be back
March 1, 2006 Katrin Bennhold
The New York Times
Recent efforts by European governments to protect and forge national
corporate icons herald a profound shift in Europe's economic and political
landscape: the nation-state, generally dormant under mutual pledges of
cooperation, appears to be back with a vengeance.
At a time when the European Commission is seeking to knit together a
common identity and tear down remaining economic barriers, a string of hostile
reactions in national capitals to a wave of cross-border mergers is the latest blow to
an already weakened institution.
Divisions in the European Union before the Iraq war laid bare its failure to
speak with one voice in foreign affairs. Last year's rejection of the proposed
European constitution in France and the Netherlands called into question the idea
of closer political union.
Now governments appear to be on a quest to reclaim the one area where the
consensus of joining forces has always been strongest: the single European market.
But the recent outbursts risk creating a domino effect because they have been
unusually frequent and aggressive. Worse, they come in a context of widespread
skepticism toward the Union, which has triggered a political instinct among leaders
to pander to voters fearful of seeing jobs migrate abroad.
Fears of globalization have been magnified by the enlargement of the EU in
2004, which brought countries from Central and Eastern Europe into the Union and
has since caused a backlash among many western states against what they perceive
as the competition these low wage and fast growing economies represent.
Much of the recent muscle-flexing comes ahead of the full opening of
Europe's energy market in July next year. The deadline has prompted rapid
consolidation in the energy sector and prompted governments to support their own
national champions.
Political leaders, particularly in France and Germany, have shown a
tendency to play to their voters' concerns rather than trying to defuse them, often
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attacking the European Commission in Brussels for policies aimed at opening and
integrating markets further.
Last month the European Parliament diluted a landmark commission law
aimed at opening up the EU's market in cross-border services. The measure
included many exemptions and gave national governments continued powers to
protect their services sectors after trade unions' protests and pressure from the
governments in Paris and Berlin.
The European idea has been crumbling for years, even though people tried to
paper over the cracks. There are no more taboos."
TEXT 2
Future of the European Union - Enlarged or Broken?
Patric Dixon
Globalchange.com
The most likely scenario for the future of the European Union over the next
decade and a half will be slow but steady progress towards integration, held back
by the rich diversity of cultures and economic crises. A Greater Europe cannot be
built without strong EU governance and visionary leadership, yet these are the two
issues which are notably missing at present.
The European Parliament does not command the same sense of respect as
national Parliaments, nor the connection with ordinary people. This is a serious
problem. Who makes decisions in Europe anyway? Is it EU councils of Ministers
who are appointed by their own governments? Is it elected representatives of the
people (MEPs)? And that is the heart of the problem.
What happens when an economic crisis unfolds rapidly - affecting different
nations in conflicting ways? What happens if a nation behaves irresponsibly, in
ways that create instabilities and liabilities for other members of the Euro Zone?
Culture differences are profound and deeply sensitive to the future of the
European Union. Take language for example. In France there is great resentment
about the dominance of the English language and it is illegal to play too many
English songs on the radio. It is hard to imagine such a profound division between
different States of America.
Passions of large numbers of people within the EU can be easily inflamed by
insensitive decrees from Brussels, or by "unfair" treatment by one country of
another. Disputes over budget deficits, overspending, beef, lamb, asylum seekers,
chocolate, Iraq and so on are not just superficial. They often hide very long,
historical issues and profound resentments. Finding a way through will mean
finding a common EU voice, a clear moral lead from a commanding EU
figurehead who will bring confidence and clarity. The current system of a 6
monthly rotating leader is unsustainable, confusing, destabilising and makes
effective leadership impossible.
The European model is changing forever with rapid expansion to the East,
doubling the number of countries and embracing nations that are extremely poor in
comparison. Governance will be complex (we don't even have an elected
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President), and so will be the culture mix. Face the facts: ethnic cleansing is a daily
reality in Europe - even in the UK. Every night somewhere in Belfast we see
sectarian attacks, and every morning the removal vans arrive to take another family
away to another location. So here we have nations rushing to become one, who
cannot even stop people in the same street butchering each other because they want
to be so different. So expect growth, extension, vast economic trading areas, and
with it growing tensions, economic tensions, xenophobia and resentment.
Find words in the texts which mean the same as the following. (They are in text
order.)
Text 1
Text 2
commitment
plan
revenge
responsibility
unfriendly
deep and strong
to cause to begin
indignation
negative reaction
ignite
freeing from obligation
nominal leader
SPEAKING:
Some experts say there are three possible scenarios for the future of the European
Union (EU):
1. The EU dissolves as a result from uprisings and frustrations from fiscally
sound countries,
2. The EU is readjusted and fiscally complacent countries are removed (i.e.
Spain, Greece, Portugal, etc.),
3. The EU collectively decides to form a central agency with limited direct
control over each countries central banks to ensure future stability.
Which of the abovementioned scenarios in your opinion is the most likely?
Make your choice and give your arguments in a 2-minute statement.
VOCABULARY FOCUS: TALKING POLITICS
Every clique has its own language — an insider's jargon that people outside
the group don't always understand. Politicians have a language of their own
too, and it often appears in media reports about politics.
In writing translate the following sentences into Russian paying special
attention to the italicized word combinations. Before doing so study the
Reading notes that follow.
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1) These freshman Democrats, elected on the president's coattails in 2008,
also sided with the administration on the stimulus and health care.
2) Successful promotion of such pork-barrel legislation (often through
skillful logrolling) is very likely to get the legislator re-elected by his constituents.
The $800 billion stimulus bill contains billions of dollars in pork and wasteful
spending on items that have nothing to do with stimulating.
3) Bob Perry, a high-level player in Republican politics, favors affirmative
action and has softer views on immigration issues than many in the G.O.P.
4) Denis Dillon, the longtime district attorney who used his office as a bully
pulpit against abortion, died on Sunday morning at his home in Rockville Centre.
5) The political clout organized labor once wielded may fail to deliver this
fall even as Democrats turn to unions more than ever.
6) In July 2009, as a divided Senate tangled over health care legislation, there
was bipartisan consensus on one point: Ted Kennedy could make a big difference,
if only he were there.
7) Italian police have raided the offices of a newspaper owned by the family
of Silvio Berlusconi over claims it was planning a muckraking campaign against a
respected business leader who has criticised the prime minister.
8) As many frustrated Americans who have joined the Tea Party realize, we
cannot stand against big government at home while supporting it abroad.
9) In a tough election struggle, British PM stuck a fork in his election hopes
by calling a 66 year old lifetime Labour voter a “bigoted woman” – what a gaff!
10) The package stalled when supporters were unable to muster the 60 votes
needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.
11) Italian police have admitted that gangs of Napoli’s hardcore “Ultras” went
out hunting fans last night in attacks that led to two Liverpool supporters being
stabbed.
12) The Democratic Senate candidate in Delaware is far ahead in state polls,
yet both President and Vice President were here on Friday to stump for him.
13) Indonesia's House of Representatives barely passed any laws in the first
year of its current term, placing critical pending legislation on the back burner.
14) Messy though it may be — allegations of gerrymandering and other
violations prompted court challenges in more than 40 states after the last round of
redistricting.
15) According to a Washington Post analysis, outside interest groups are
spending five times as much on the 2010 midterms as they did in the 2006 midterm
elections.
16) Affable and driven, Harvey Milk was a San Francisco politician who
succeeded by inspiring crowds rather than making backroom deals.
17) Ever since every financial commentator started complaining that after last
year's financial crisis almost nothing had been done to prevent the next one, reform
trial balloons have been floating skyward.
18) Beijing is currently in the middle of a tug-of-war with Washington over
the value of its currency.
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19)
In an effort to avoid stark failure, a fallback plan is emerging that
would push tough decisions on taxes to next year.
20) The Democratic-led Senate and Republican-led House on Monday
barreled toward a showdown on competing plans to cut spending and raise the
debt limit.
21) The United Nations human rights committee condemns Syria's
crackdown on opposition protests, calling on it to implement an Arab League plan
to end the violence.
READING NOTES:
1. coattails: The power of a popular candidate to gather support for other
candidates in his or her party. Winning candidates are said to have coattails when
they drag candidates for lower office along with them to victory (to be elected on
smb.’s coattails; to ride, to get in on, to hold on to smb.’s coattails; ~ effect)
Способность популярного политического деятеля, кандидата на
политический пост, "протащить у себя на фалдах" (обеспечить победу)
своих сторонников.
2. pork barrel (or just pork): Wasteful and unnecessary projects that
politicians secure for their local districts, usually to gain favor with local voters. (to
have, to be full of, to use ~ pork) кормушка, жирный кусок; дотации,
привилегии (предоставляемые по политическим соображениям)
3. logrolling a practice common in the U.S. Congress and in many other
legislative assemblies in which two (or more) legislators agree for each to trade his
vote on one bill he cares little about in exchange for the other's vote on a bill that is
personally much more important to him. взаимные услуги, взаимная поддержка
между членами Конгресса (в политике); взаимное восхваление (в печати)
4. affirmative action (positive/reverse discrimination): action favouring
those who tend to suffer from discrimination; компенсационная / позитивная /
обратная дискриминация, "дискриминация наоборот"
5. bully pulpit: a public office or position of authority that provides its
occupant with an opportunity to speak out on any issue. "первоклассная кафедра
проповедника", активное использование престижа и повышенного внимания
к высокому посту в целях убеждения широкой общественности, прессы и
политических кругов.
6. political clout: influence or power, especially in politics or business (to
have/to use/to exercise/to lose/to gain ~ political clout) политическое влияние
7. bipartisan: A cooperative effort by two political parties.
8. muckraker: A journalist who seeks out the scandalous activities of public
officials. Derived from the Man with the Muck Rake, a character in John Bunyan's
"The Pilgrim's Progress," who could never look up, only down; охотник до
сенсаций
9. Tea-party movement: an interest group primarily composed of
conservative, white, Christian, well-educated citizens with higher-than-average
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Graduation Course
incomes. The movement began as a protest to growing government spending; it
now has caucuses in the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United
States; движение чаепития
10. big government: A negative term, used mainly by conservatives to describe
government programs in areas where they believe government shouldn't be
involved, especially those that spend money on social problems. "большое
правительство"
a) выражение, используемое консерваторами для критики расширения
функций федерального правительства, повышения налогов и роста
государственных расходов.
b) негативная характеристика системы социального обеспечения, по
мнению критиков, плодящей бездельников за счет средств честно
работающих граждан.
11.gaffe: an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its
originator; a blunder
12. filibuster: An attempt by a Senator or group of Senators to obstruct the
passage of a bill, favored by the majority, by talking continuously. Because there is
no rule in the Senate over how long a member can speak, a Senator can prevent a
bill from coming up for a vote by talking endlessly. Senator Strom Thurmond of
South Carolina set the record in 1957 by speaking for more than 24 hours without
stopping. Обструкционизм (тактика проваливания законопроектов путём
всяческого оттягивания момента принятия решения)
13. hard core: the most active, committed, or doctrinaire members of a group
or movement; убежденный, закоренелый (сравните: devoted, staunch,
inveterate, steadfast)
14. to stump: To campaign in person on a local level.
15. front burner (back burner): an issue receives a lot of attention because it
is considered to be more urgent or important than other issues (a state of inaction
or suspension; a position of relatively little importance) передний план, основная
задача (второе место; задний план)
16. gerrymandering (compare: redistricting): the reorganization of voting
districts by the party in power to insure more votes for its candidates. The term
originated in 1811, when Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts signed a bill
that changed districts to favor the Democrats. The shape of one new district
supposedly resembled a salamander, provoking a Boston newspaper editor to say,
"Salamander? Call it a Gerrymander! Махинации с избирательными округами /
пересмотр границ избирательных округов
17. interest groups (compare: pressure groups, lobbyists): A group or an
organization attempting to influence legislators in favour of one particular interest
or issue mainly social and political (examples pro-life, anti-abortionist, pro war
groups). Meanwhile, a lobbyist is a paid employee of one of these groups who
tries to advance his employer’s point of view to a Congressperson or into the
public media. "группа по интересам" (лобби)
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18. smoke-filled room: (backroom deal) used to refer to political bargaining or
decision-making that is conducted privately by a small group of influential people
rather than more openly or democratically. Закулисные переговоры / махинации
19. trial balloon: An idea a politician suggests in order to observe the reaction.
If public reaction is favorable, the politician takes credit for it; if not, the idea dies
quickly; to float/send up/use/launch ~ запустить“пробный шар”
20. tug of war: a situation in which two people or groups both want the same
thing and are fairly equally matched in their struggle to get it. “перетягивание
каната”, упорная конкурентная борьба
21. fallback (n.) (adj) an alternative plan that may be used in an emergency;
запасной, альтернативный (план)
22. showdown a final test or confrontation intended to settle a dispute;
решающий поединок; решение проблемы при помощи силы
23. crackdown (on) - is strong official action that is taken to punish people
who break laws; решительные меры (по борьбе с), силовое воздействие;
~ on political dissent репрессии по отношению к политическим
инакомыслящим
~ against human rights наступление на права человека
Translate the following sentences into English using the abovementioned
political terms:
1. Верховный суд США дал свое согласие на рассмотрение дела об обратной
дискриминации.
2. На прошлой неделе Барак Обама совершил серию поездок по стране.
3. Противоборствующие стороны в Ливии готовятся к решающей схватке.
4. Поскольку абсолютного большинства в парламенте не получила ни одна
партия, судьбу правительства Британии решит закулисная сделка.
5. Представители ЕС работают над альтернативным планом спасения
Греции.
6. Лоббисты дорвались до “бюджетного пирога”: от поправок в бюджет,
выиграют в первую очередь крупные госкорпорации.
7. «Движение чаепития» объединяет политиков под лозунгами отказа от
активного вмешательства государства в экономику.
8. Газета Вашингтон пост запустила сегодня пробный шар, назвав г-на М.
наиболее вероятным кандидатом от Республиканской партии.
9. В этот день несколько тысяч наиболее активных сторонников оппозиции
организовали демонстрацию с требованием отставки правительства.
10. США боятся потерять свое влияние в АТР из-за усиления позиций
Японии.
11. Обама вынужден использовать все свои политические ресурсы, чтобы
протолкнуть через Конгресс крайне важную реформу здравоохранения.
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FRENCH BORROWINGS
When the French invaded England under William the Conqueror in 1066
they initiated 200 years of not only political domination but linguistic domination.
The French language became the elite language for more than two centuries and
the impact of that domination on the English language was monumental.
According to different sources, nearly 30% of all English words have a French
origin. In Units 1 and 2 you have come across such words as entrepreneur,
laissez faire, mortgage, embezzle, perjury, all of which are French. The political
lexicon includes many words of French origin too: like liberalism, coup d'état,
sovereignty and many others. It is also the case in the domain of diplomacy
(attaché, chargé d'affaires, envoy, embassy, chancery, détente, rapprochement).
Match the words given below with their definitions that follow. Use the words
in the sentences of your own. Translate them into Russian:
debris, coup d’etat, gaffe, entente, laicite, debacle, penchant, rapprochement,
savoir-faire, rapport, détente, acquiescence, adjournment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
a friendly understanding or informal alliance between states or factions
a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government;
the confidence and ability to do the appropriate thing in a social situation
a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something;
scattered pieces of rubbish or remains;
is agreement to do what someone wants, or acceptance of what they do even
though you do not agree with it;
7. an absence of religious interference in government affairs and government
interference in religious affairs;
8. the easing of hostility or strained relations,
9. an increase in friendliness between two countries, groups, or people,
especially after a period of unfriendliness;
10.is a temporary stopping of a trial, enquiry, or other meeting
11.mutual understanding;
12.is an event or attempt that is a complete failure;
13.an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator;
PROFICIENCY FILE
Use of English (Open Cloze)
Know Thy Culture: Few Do
By Shelley Emling
IHT February 24, 2006
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Graduation Course
The National Institute on Aging, a U.S. research group, studied 4,000
citizens in 49 countries. The authors garnered the assistance of researchers from (1)
_____ the world to ask people how they viewed themselves; how they viewed
friends, relatives and associates in their own culture; and how they would describe
the "typical" member of their culture. The researchers compared the results (2)
_____ the findings of other independent assessments of the culture.
The study found that (3) ____ rare occasions, the self-stereotypes matched
reality - at least as it could be measured by the researchers. For example, Germans
think of themselves as conscientious and industrious, and that is (4) _____ the
independent measurement came (5) _____. But most often there was (6) _____
agreement between self-perception and the results. Looking at personality traits,
the researchers found that citizens of India considered themselves unconventional
and open to new experiences, but measurements of personality showed that they
were more conventional than the rest of the sample.
Czechs said they believed that Czechs were antagonistic and disagreeable,
but (7) _____ personality was actually observed, Czechs scored higher than most
on levels of altruism and modesty.
Indonesians and Japanese said they thought they were very neurotic, but they
actually ranked in the middle of the 49 cultures (8) _____ anxiety, fears and other
such traits. Northern Ireland had the most extroverted population, according to the
survey; New Zealanders, Australians and Spaniards all believed themselves to be
in that category.
When it came (9) _____ self-assessment, the English were the worst. They
see themselves as repressed but, according to the assessment, they are among the
(10) _____ extroverted.
Word formation
Celebrating Diversity
Look around and you will see that our society is very diverse.
Diversity enriches our lives. Much as the biological diversity of
an ecosystem increases its stability and (1) ………., cultural
diversity brings together the resources and talents of many
people for the shared benefit of all. Sadly, the differences among
us have (2) ……….. formed the basis of fear, bigotry, and even
violence. Yet consider how dull life would be if we all looked
alike, thought alike, and acted alike! By learning to recognize
our (3) ………. and appreciate our differences, together we can
overcome prejudice and (4) ………. and work towards a more
peaceful and productive world.
People may fear diversity simply because they are (5) ……….to
the way things used to be and change makes them (6) ………..
Others may somehow feel threatened because they perceive
increased participation by traditionally (7) ………. groups in the
produce
history
similar
tolerate
custom
comfort
present
address
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Graduation Course
workplace and the political process as a challenge to their own
power. If left (8) ………., these fears can lead to resentment and
bigotry.
Respect for each others' cultural values and belief systems is an
intrinsic part of cultural diversity. Lack of respect is often based
on ignorance or (9)……….. If you do not understand another's
values, lifestyle, or beliefs, it is much easier to (10)
……….them. And so the seeds of prejudice and intolerance are
sown.
inform
little
WRITING PRACTICE: ESSAY
When proofreading your essay make sure:
 it has a clear structure: introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion;

it has a clear thesis statement (thesis is an arguable statement which is














usually worded in the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.);
the content of your essay is appropriate to the title, the thesis statement
and the conclusion;
you have managed to adequately split your essay into paragraphs (each
paragraph should have no more than one idea);
every body paragraph starts with a topical sentence;
there is a clear presentation and development of ideas and the reader
will be able to follow your line of reasoning;
all information is relevant; check for any information that may be
redundant or repetitive;
you have incorporated some elements of analysis into your essay (such
as generalizations and particularizations);
you have managed to avoid logical fallacies;
your language is not too complex or too simplistic;
all sentences/paragraphs have a logical connection with
preceding/following sentences/paragraphs;
you have kept to the objective structures that characterise academic
writing, such as impersonal forms and passive verbs;
you have managed to avoid referring to your authorship;
you have used English grammar effectively to convey the message
(subject-verb agreement, word order, the use of countable/uncountable
nouns, etc.);
you have followed the rules for spelling, capitalisation, and
punctuation;
your essay is about 350 words.
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KINDS OF LOGICAL FALLACIES
1. False Cause
The false cause fallacy occurs when people assume that just because one event
follows another, the first event was the cause of the second.
For example, suppose you observe a young child entering the yard belonging to
people who have a big dog. You cannot see the child once the gate closes. Soon
after the child enters the yard you hear him crying. If you assume, without seeing
what happened, that the child is crying because the dog bit him or frightened him,
you make an error in thinking called the post hoc fallacy. It is very possible that the
child tipped entering the yard or that another child frightened or hurt him. The
conclusion was reached using wrong evidence.
2. Hasty generalization
Coming to quick conclusion without having adequate evidence is a frequent and
hazardous error in reasoning. This kind of thinking error leads to prejudice and can
destroy human relations.
People often make hasty generalizations when they find themselves in cultures
different from their own. People tend to assume that what they experience in a new
situation is the common experience in that situation. What they experience,
however, may be the exception to the rule.
1. False analogy
An analogy is a comparison made to make the point clearer. Analogies compare
two things that are basically unlike each other, but that have some important
characteristics in common. A fallacy takes place, however, when a person
compares two things that are similar only in unimportant ways, and concludes that
because of these similarities, the two things are alike in other ways.
4. Circular reasoning
People also reach unsupported conclusions when they use circular reasoning. A
person using circular reasoning repeats the same thing in different words rather
than giving effective proof for a conclusion. Instead of giving evidence to prove a
point, the person using this kind of faulty reasoning merely repeats the point. The
following statement is the example of circular reasoning: "If such actions were not
illegal, then they would not be prohibited by the law."
5. Misuse of Authority:
It is accepting for truth what is claimed simply because someone said so. It is easy
to be mislead by "authorities" who are really not authorities at all. Incompetent
authorities include celebrities selling products about which they have no more
knowledge than the average person. It is also a misuse of authority to quote a
person who does know a great deal about a subject, but who is extremely biased.
Quoting biased "authorities" will make your evidence biased and, therefore,
unconvincing to your audience.
6. Card stacking
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Card stacking occurs when writers use only data that support their arguments and
fail to use that which is contrary to their points of view. Although the facts that the
writers employ may be both pertinent and correct, if they present only one side of
the picture, they do not form a good argument. They deceive the reader.
As you prepare to write an essay of persuasion, you will want to make a list of all
the arguments against the position you are taking, as well as all the arguments for
your point of view. If you were to use only those arguments on the "for" side, you
would be "stacking the cards" in your favour. It is much more effective to include a
discussion of the main arguments against your point of view, then show how these
arguments are not as important as those that support your
7. Either/or (black/white) fallacy Narrowing the options to just two extremes
when in actuality more options exist
When thinking about complex issues, some people fall into a pattern of thought
that assigns only two sides to every issue - good and bad, or right and wrong.
Complex issues cannot be simplified in this way. A writer who oversimplifies
complex issues is not respected by readers. This error in thinking causes people to
assume that there are only two sides to as issue; that it must be either this way or
that way, with no alternatives. But there are very few so-called black and white
situations or issues.
8. Stereotypes are formed when people use knowledge about one or two
members of a particular race, country, or religion to generalise about the entire
group. There are numerous stereotypes of nations of people. But any nation is
made up of many different kinds of people; therefore, while the words and phrases
may apply to some people from this country, they certainly do not apply to all.
It is not logical to make a general statement about anything based on just one or
two examples; therefore, to form general ideas about groups of people based on
one or two examples is illogical reasoning.
Identify the logical fallacies in the following arguments:
1. Your test was on Friday the 13th. You failed it.
2. Either we allow airlines to make a large profit or we can expect more
accidents as the airlines cut down the money spent for safety.
3. Women's just can't understand math.
4. Of course she’s rich! Just look at that diamond ring she is wearing!
5. He went to college and came back a pothead; college corrupted him.
6. If Bruce Willis drinks Seagram’s Wine Cooler, it must be good.
7. Einstein became a great physicist because his parents and his teachers left
him alone to dream.
8. Of Mice and Men is really popular because a lot of people like it.
9. Cleveland won their first three games. They win all their games.
10.You take time every day to exercise, and you are careful about what you eat.
Your weight is normal for your size and age.
11.The belief in God is universal. After all, everyone believes in God.
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Graduation Course
12.Either your marriage is perfect or you should get a divorce.
13. If you love your family, you'll buy this new stealth security system.
14. Rap and hip-hop artists have low moral standards.
15. Ford is an American-made car. I owned a Ford, and it broke down all the
time. American-made cars are not very good.
WRITE AN ESSAY IN CLASS:
The Europeans are still unable to define their common identity; this fact
explains the misfortunes of the EU and threatens its future.
CULTURAL AWARENESS:
The English employs many figures of speech, one of which is called metonymy. It
is a device that refers to someone or something through the use of an associated
term.
Metonymy tends to use a lot of geographical names as shorthand for larger
concepts or organizations. This is a device that's frequently used when talking
politics. Here are examples:
The White House to represent the U.S. Presidency
Washington to represent the American government
Wall Street to represent business
Downing Street for the British Prime Minister's Office
Hollywood to represent the film industry
Broadway to represent the New York theatre scene
Detroit to represent the U.S. auto industry
Silicon Valley for the IT industry
Now explain what the following collocations stand for and use them in the
sentences of your own:
Madison Avenue
Langley
Whitehall
Fifth Avenue
Brussels
K street
The City
Foggy Bottom
Main Street
Beltway
Fleet Street
Strasbourg
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READING 4:
National stereotypes -- like the "Assertive American" or the "Passionate Italian"
--may be more than just oversimplified judgments. A new study shows that they're
blatantly false and fail to contain a "kernel of truth" even though they're often an
established part of national identity.
Researchers found national stereotypes popularized and perpetuated by the
media, hearsay, history, and jokes did not accurately reflect the personalities of the
people living in the country, although many people in the nation in question actually
believed them to be true.
Text 1
Steady on, We Brits Are Actually Rather Exciting
Mark Henderson
The Times
NATIONAL character stereotypes such as the reserved and staid Englishman
with a stiff upper lip are not founded on even a kernel of truth, according to the most
comprehensive international study of its kind.
While nationalities do have broad tendencies towards particular character traits,
these are usually very different from those generally considered typical of a culture, an
investigation of 49 groups all over the world has found.
The English are the most misunderstood of all. While commonly seen as
reserved, quiet and set in their ways, English people are actually among the most
extroverted and open to new experiences of any of the groups studied, according to
Robert McCrae of the US National Institute on Ageing, who led the research.
"The English are also seen as rather conventional and closed-minded, but are
relatively open compared to other groups. You are a great example of just how wrong
national stereotypes tend to be," he said.
The findings, from a team of 84 psychologists and published today in the journal
Science, offer the strongest evidence yet that national stereotypes are not grounded in
observations of real individuals, but are rather cultural myths. They can have some
value in maintaining a sense of national identity, but are useless for predicting the
likely character of any individual, the scientists say.
"In fact, unfavourable stereotypes of national or ethnic groups are potentially
very dangerous, forming the bases for prejudice, discrimination, persecution, or even
genocide," Dr McCrae said.
In the research, he estimated the average levels of particular traits in each of 49
cultures, using standard personality surveys that assess people on five key variables.
These are neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeable-ness and
conscientiousness.
Another 3,989 people — which included groups from England and Northern
Ireland but not the Scottish or the Welsh — were then asked to describe typical
members of their own nationalities.
There were a few positive correlations: most Australians, considered themselves
highly extrovert, and this was backed up by the personality tests. German-speaking
Swiss also rightly saw themselves as very conscientious.
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Most of the stereotype assessments differed markedly from the results of the
personally tests. Americans tended to consider themselves assertive and Canadians
submissive, but both groups scored similarly on this variable, at slightly above the
international average. Czechs thought of their nationality as antagonistic and
disagreeable, when the research found them to be among the friendliest of all cultures.
Dr McCrae now plans to lead a similar investigation of attitudes towards the
elderly. "We need to remind ourselves to see people as individuals, whether they are
Americans or Lebanese, Gen Xers or senior citizens," he said. Australian
Stereotype: brash and extroverted
Reality: brash and extroverted
Chech
Stereotype: negative, bad-tempered and brusque
Reality: altruistic, modest and amiable
American
Stereotype: very brash and assertive
Reality: mildly assertive, but only just above average
Canadian
Stereotype: agreeable, compliant and submissive
Reality: agreeable, but just as assertive as the typical American
English
Stereotype: restrained, shy, conservative
Reality: extroverted, open-minded, curious
IDIOM SPOT
In idioms we often refer to nationalities. A ludicrously incongruous statement may
be called an "Irish bull", and drink-induced courage may be termed "Dutch courage".
This quiz is about similar nationality-linked idioms:
1. Being absent without permission may be called:___________ leave?
 Italian
 French
 Irish
 Welsh
2. Some nationality adjectives may refer to specific 'local recipes'. What is for
instance the name for a hard-boiled egg enclosed in sausage-meat, which is then
fried and ultimately served as a cold platter?
 American egg
 Russian egg
 Scotch egg
 Chinese egg
3. What kind of twins are born within the same year (9 to 12 months apart)?
 Italian twins
 Irish twins
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Graduation Course
 Siamese twins
 Indian twins
4. Both "melancholia" and "rickets" have been called the __________ disease.
 Spanish
 Italian
 African
 English
5. One of the Scandinavian nations gave us a system of therapeutic muscular
exercise which is known world-wide as _________________ gymnastics?
 Swedish
 Norwegian
 Finnish
 Danish
6. Rubella or 3-day measles is also known as the ___________ measles.
 German
 Swiss
 Austrian
 Polish
7. What is the name for a period of calm, dry warm weather in late autumn in the
northern U.S. or elsewhere?
 American summer
 Canadian summer
 Pennsylvanian summer
 Indian summer
8. The kiwifruit has been called the "Chinese gooseberry", a certain type of dog
has been called a "Danish dog", but what is the other name for the jaguar?
 African tiger
 American tiger
 Chinese tiger
 Indonesian tiger
9. In olden times armies already used "arms of mass destruction". A certain
technique of naval warfare consisted in hurling from siphons a kind of liquid
fire on to enemy ships; this burning fuel then set the ships ablaze. What was the
term used for such fire - which had already been invented in the 8th century?
 Turkish fire
 Arab fire
 Greek fire
 Roman fire
10. A method of selling in which the price is reduced until a buyer is found is called
a __________ auction.
 English
 Japanese
 Australian
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Graduation Course
 Dutch
11.A children’s game in which a phrase or a sentence is passed on from one player
to another, but is subtly altered in transit is called __________ whispers.
 Japanese
 Arabic
 Chinese
 Rican
12.Potatoes deep-fried in thin strips are known as __________ fries.
 Munich
 Idaho
 French
 Ukranian
Other nationality-related idioms include:
 Chinese accounting – creative accounting
o chance - having no chance at all.
o compliment - pretending to acknowledge the opinions of others, while
going forward with an already made decision.
o copy - a duplicate that replicates something perfectly, including errors
 Dutch auction – a method of selling in which the price is reduced until a buyer
is found
o comfort – little or no comfort
o treat (go Dutch) - outing, meal, or other special occasion at which each
participant pays for their share of the expenses
o Double- Dutch - language that is impossible to understand; gibberish
 Greek gift – when rival or enemy shows one generosity or kindness, one should
be suspicious of their motives
o It is Greek to me - I can't understand it at all
 Indian file - a line of people or things arranged one behind another
o giver - is used for any individual who gives something and then retakes
it.
 Irish confetti - a thrown or tossed stone or brick.
 Mexican standoff - is a situation in which neither of the people or groups in a
conflict or dispute can win and neither wants to give in first.
o wave - an effect resembling a moving wave produced by successive
sections of the crowd in a stadium.
 Scotch mist - is used humorously to refer to something that is hard to find or
doesn't exist - something imagined.
Search the available sources to make up your own list of common American and
British words and phrases based on racial, ethnic, religious, regional or other
stereotypes.
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Graduation Course
DEBATE CLUB
Topic: Is multiculturalism a better social model than assimilation?
Multiculturalism The term multiculturalism generally refers to a de facto state of both
cultural and ethnic diversity within the demographics
of a particular social space. Some countries have
official, or de jure, multiculturalism policies aimed at
preserving the cultures or cultural identities — usually
those of immigrant groups — within a unified society.
In this context, multiculturalism advocates a society
that extends equitable status to distinct cultural and
religious groups, no one culture predominating.
Assimilation Cultural assimilation (often called merely
assimilation) is a process of consistent integration
whereby members of an ethno-cultural group (such as
immigrants, or minority groups) are "absorbed" into an established, generally larger
community. This presumes a loss of many characteristics of the absorbed group. All of
this is legally re-enforced, within the assimilation model, by laws that forbid any
formal governmental recognition being given to groups of different kinds.
Look at the following statements. Which of them if developed may be used to
prove your point of view?






Which model sets a higher moral-cultural standard?
Which system better protects individual rights and counters discrimination?
Does multiculturalism better encourage social cohesion and unity?
Is multiculturalism better for the safety and security of a nation?
Is multiculturalism better than assimilation economically?
Which model is more feasible, multiculturalism or assimilation?
ADDITIONAL TEXTS
Globalizing high culture
By Thomas Lifson and A.M. Mora y Leon
When we think of the globalization of culture, why do we tend to think of little
more than Britney Spears CDs and Nike shoes? You can make an argument about the
merits of these cultural exports, but mass—market consumer entertainment is by and
large what gets discussed under the label of the globalization of culture. It is usually
regarded as a bad thing. Ask any member of any French cabinet.
But there's another globalization happening, and it's far more mysterious, and
less in the public eye. A widely dispersed desire to find the best of the traditional
cultures of peoples on the other side of the world. Find it and save it and even use it as
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part of daily life. High culture is globalizing, too, even as it all too frequently
languishes and withers at home.
All too often, you see, trendy postmodern intellectuals reject their own
traditional heritage as oppressive and outdated. Or commercial elites do not want to be
hobbled by preserving obstacles to new development. Instead, foreign admirers,
detached from the currents of contemporary cultural conflict at home, pick up and
treasure the enduring and valuable beauty and profundity they joyfully discover and
experience as something new, something mind-expanding, and something definitely
worth pursuing for its own sake, and because it makes their lives richer. Even as these
same cultural artifacts are overlooked, derided, and even scorned in the lands and
cultures which gave them birth.
It's as if the barbarians have picked up what the native elites have tossed out.
For example, Europe's elites have collectively turned their back on their
Christian heritage. The euro currency contains no images of Christian symbolism, the
hundreds of pages of the draft European constitution (rejected by voters in France and
Holland) made no reference to Christianity, and church attendance is being dwarfed by
mosque attendance in a growing number of places in Europe.
Yet Christianity is thriving and growing in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
South Korea may well become the first Asian nation to become majority Christian
since the Philippines was evangelized by the Spanish centuries ago. China's
underground churches are quietly growing by leaps and bounds, beyond the purview of
official statistics. Africa is home to a large and rapidly—growing tide of believers, as
Europe's churches empty out. Ireland finds itself with not enough new Irish priests to
serve its parishes, and imports African graduates of Catholic seminaries.
You can see the same basic phenomenon in Western efforts to save Asian art:
the beautiful artifacts of Asian civilizations that are routinely bulldozed as scrap in a
bid to build more glass skyscrapers in the soaring cities of the Far East. Or giant dams
like China's Three Gorges. Today, the artwork of the ancient craftsmen of the Far East
is treasured in the West.
But the most mysterious phenomenon of all is in high culture, especially the
performing arts. Old and very demanding disciplines that can't be achieved with the
purchase of a Mixmaster, and that are thought to be dying out in the West as it
computerizes — are surging in Asia.
Why is it that 19th-century cotillion ballroom dancing is an ordinary but
extremely popular nightly activity in the only places that can hold them, the cheesy
glitter—ball discos of China? The ballrooms of Shenzhen (and Manila) are full of
young people dancing as Andrew Jackson or Sara Bernhard or Benjamin Disraeli once
danced on those nights.
And why is it that the best Argentine tango dancers can be found in, no kidding,
Japan? In the international contests, Japanese couples always places near the top in
competitions of this unique cultural fusion dance of Italy and Africa, something that
was born in Buenos Aires and Montevideo during their early 20th—century cultural
zenith. Open any tango magazine and see.
European classical music is received in much of Asia as the precious gift of
human genius, simply the best, most complex, beautiful and satisfying expression of
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the human will, touch the heart and elevating the soul with sound. Tokyo supports
several symphony orchestras, and while American public schools drop music
education programs familiarizing youngsters with the classics, South Korean,
Taiwanese, Chinese, and Japanese kids dutifully practice their piano and violin lessons
by playing the music of the masters as soon as they are able. A glance at the
graduating classes at our finest conservatories like Julliard will speak volumes about
the future ethnicities populating our best orchestras and concert stages.
Vietnam, after expelling France and then America, eagerly embraces classical
music. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, a choral masterpiece set to Schiller's poem Ode
to Joy, is an inescapable part of the end of the year in Japan, widely performed and
broadcast. The classical music of Europe's past has become the world's music.
Now EFE reports that Italian opera is taking off in Shanghai, China, with some
of the most promising young artists in the world among these Chinese singers. Their
achievements were accomplished by self-teaching. Experts note how passionate they
are, like Latinos. Or perhaps like the people who spontaneously invented opera. There
is no question that Asians are revitalizing truly great performing arts that have fallen
into decline in the West.
These are skills that cannot be achieved overnight. They cannot be taught in one
year, and in some cases, even ten. They demand the highest disciplines, something
well beyond computers. Classical opera! And yet they are embraced in all their
difficulty by youthful, motivated Asians, doing this on their own. These opera lovers
have no parental encouragement, no teachers, no fancy establishments, and no world
recognition - yet. But they have taken up all the old arts and hurled their youthful
energies into them and made them new.
It's significant that these are high cultures. And the mastery of one develops
intelligence that can be used in any other field. If these are the activities of young
people in Asia who are doing this for the sheer pleasure of it, and doing it in large
numbers, then this, more than technology or demographics or buying power, are real
reasons to think we may be in for an Asian Century. Quite unconsciously, they are
adopting what made the West great.
The drive to excel is as fundamental to our natures as the drive to relax.
Golbalization works along both pathways.
Cultural Diversity: Towards A Whole Society
Mara Hurwitt
"In Germany they first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak
up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't
speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me - and by that time no
one was left to speak up."
Rev. Martin Niemoller*
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Celebrating Diversity
Look around and you will see that our society is very diverse. Diversity enriches
our lives. Much as the biological diversity of an ecosystem increases its stability and
productivity, cultural diversity brings together the resources and talents of many
people for the shared benefit of all. Sadly, the differences among us have historically
formed the basis of fear, bigotry, and even violence. Yet consider how dull life would
be if we all looked alike, thought alike, and acted alike! By learning to recognize our
similarities and appreciate our differences, together we can overcome prejudice and
intolerance and work towards a more peaceful and productive world.
People may fear diversity simply because they are accustomed to the way things
used to be and change makes them uncomfortable. Others may somehow feel
threatened because they perceive increased participation by traditionally
underrepresented groups in the workplace and the political process as a challenge to
their own power. If left unaddressed, these fears can lead to resentment and bigotry.
However, these fears can often be countered through education. Dr. Samuel Betances,
professor emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University and noted author and lecturer
offers this observation:
"Education universalizes the human spirit. You cannot be universalized if you
are only in one world, the world of your ethnic group, the world of your neighborhood,
the world of your religion, or the world of your family. The word ‘university’ is related
to this idea. Our lives are enhanced when we understand and appreciate many worlds.
It has been said that if you gain a new language, you gain a new world. I believe that
the reverse is also true: if you lose a language, you lose a world. When our spirit is
universalized, we can cross boundaries and feel comfortable in other worlds. We can
teach and learn from others in a mutually supportive effort to acquire a profound
respect for the human condition."
Unlike assimilation - where everyone's differences are lost in a giant melting pot
- multiculturalism advocates the idea that maintaining our different cultural identities
can enrich us and our communities. Multiculturalism does not promote ethnocentrism
or seek to elevate one cultural identity above another. Instead, it celebrates diversity by
allowing us to value our individual heritages and beliefs while respecting those of
others. Respect for each others' cultural values and belief systems is an intrinsic part of
cultural diversity. Lack of respect is often based on ignorance or misinformation. If
you do not understand another's values, lifestyle, or beliefs, it is much easier to belittle
them. And so the seeds of prejudice and intolerance are sown.
The Roots of Intolerance
"Tolerance and human rights require each other"
Simon Wiesenthal
People can be categorized in many ways, such as by gender, race, religion,
ethnicity, language, income, age, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, these categories
are sometimes used to label people unfairly or to saddle them with stereotypes.
Stereotypes are generalized assumptions concerning the traits or characteristics
of all members of a particular group. They are frequently (although not always)
negative and generally incorrect. Ironically, negative stereotypes discourage closer
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contact, preventing the perpetrator from discovering what the individual victims of
these stereotypes are really like.
Stereotypes often form the basis of prejudice, a premature judgment about a
group or a member of that group made without sufficient knowledge or thought. We
can also develop prejudices towards a whole group based on a single emotional
experience with one person. Prejudice demonstrates an unfair bias that does not allow
for individual differences, good or bad. It violates the standards of reason, justice, and
tolerance.
Many of today's prejudices have their roots in thousands of years of human
history, such as the institution of slavery in America, the slaughter of European Jews
by Christians en route the Holy Land during the Crusades, and numerous religious
wars between Catholics and Protestants. Other biases are based on personal
experiences and influences.
A number of sociologists attribute prejudice to modern social problems,
including urban decay and overcrowding, unemployment, and competition between
groups. Research suggests that people of lower (but not the lowest) socio-economic
status or who have lost status are more prejudiced because they seek scapegoats to
blame for their misfortune. Backlashes against minority groups are therefore more
likely during periods of severe economic downturn and increased unemployment.
Many of us recognize our own irrational prejudices (they may concern places,
foods, ideas, etc., as well as people) and work to overcome them. In contrast, bigots
are those persons who obstinately cling to their prejudices, displaying a degrading
attitude towards others to whom they feel superior. Various groups have been and
continue to be the victims of bigotry, including racial, ethnic and religious groups,
women, persons with disabilities, and gays and lesbians.
We are intolerant if we reject or dislike people because they are different, e.g.,
of a different religion, different socio-economic status, or have a different set of
values. Intolerance harms not only its intended victims, but society at large, as well.
Paul Kurtz observes:
"A tolerant society is more likely to engender mutual trust and cooperation. It
tends towards a more peaceful society; insofar as we are willing to learn from others,
we are more able to negotiate and compromise our differences. In a tolerant society
there is thus apt to be less cruelty, hypocrisy, and duplicity, less dogmatism, hatred,
and fanaticism. In short, the principle of tolerance contributes to the common good and
to a more humane society, and it is justified on pragmatic, consequential, and
utilitarian grounds."
Prejudice can be manifested in personal bias, discriminatory practices, and - at
its worst - acts of violence. Although we have made significant progress in eliminating
discrimination, we still have a long way to go. Taking America's Pulse II, a nationwide
survey conducted in early 2000 by the National Conference for Community and
Justice (NCCJ), found the following:
 Gays and lesbians are the most discriminated against group in America,
followed by African-Americans
 In just one month, 42% of blacks experienced at least one episode of
discrimination, and 12% suffered such an experience two or more times
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 Even though only 8% of Asians believe their race experiences a great deal of
discrimination, 31% report suffering unfair treatment and discrimination
individually
 16% of Hispanics and 13% of whites also report having experienced at least one
occurrence of discrimination during the prior month.
The survey also revealed that, while interracial and interethnic contact has
increased, Americans remain less familiar with religious groups other than their own.
This lack of knowledge can contribute to prejudice and discrimination against
members of different religions. Religious tolerance means acknowledging and
supporting that individuals have the right to their own beliefs and related legitimate
practices, without necessarily accepting those beliefs or practices oneself. But
ignorance often fosters intolerance. Sadly, religious leaders are sometimes the worst
opponents of tolerance, advocating bigotry and even hatred towards the followers of
other religions.
Throughout history and continuing to the present, religious bigotry has led to
severe acts of persecution around the world, including:
 Roman persecution of early Christians
 The Christian persecution and extermination of Jews, from the late 4th century
in the Roman Empire
 The Nazi Holocaust which systematically killed about 6 million Jews, 400,000
Roma (Gypsies), an unknown number of Jehovah's Witnesses and others.
 The Sudan government's current war of extermination against Christians and
Animists
 In Northern Ireland where Roman Catholics and Protestants have assassinated
thousands of followers of each other's faith groups
 In Tibet where Tibetan Monks are persecuted by the ruling Chinese government
 In Bosnia where Christians committed genocide against Muslims
 In East Timor where Muslims committed crimes against humanity against
Christians
Certain religious beliefs have also been used to justify bigotry based on sexual
orientation, although religion is not the only source of this form of prejudice. As the
Taking America's Pulse II survey found, gays and lesbians are perceived as the most
likely target of discrimination today.
Young people, in particular, have been victimized by the hostile environment
created by anti-gay bigotry. According to a survey conducted by the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force in 1984, nearly 50% of gay men and 20% of lesbians were
harassed or assaulted in secondary school. A 1989 study by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services Task Force on Youth Suicide found that 28% of gay and
lesbian youth drop out of school because of being made to feel uncomfortable or
unsafe, and that gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to attempt
suicide than their peers.
Embracing Diversity
"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
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Rev. Martin Luther King
Psychologists and educators agree that we have a strong influence on our
children's views about diversity. If we remain silent, they will likely take their cue
from other sources, not necessarily positive or healthy ones. You can help children
develop their own attitudes towards cultural diversity by giving them accurate
information about their own heritage and about other cultures and by helping them to
understand that bigotry and intolerance are hurtful.
It is important to promote a strong, positive self-image from the first years of
life. Building and maintaining a healthy self-identity is a life-long process and includes
learning to get along with people different from ourselves. While it is fine to be proud
of your own cultural identity or heritage, it doesn't mean that yours is superior to
someone else's.
Children need to be taught to respect others and not to pre-judge them. We can
help them see that there is much to learn from people who are different from ourselves,
including those who live far away or lived long ago. We must teach them to behave
respectfully towards other people and make it clear that it is wrong to tease or reject a
person because of his or her appearance or heritage. We must also make them
understand that some people behave in harmful ways towards others, and that their
behavior should not be tolerated.
Bias based on gender, race, disability, or social class creates serious obstacles to
all young children's healthy development. Children can begin to learn at an early age to
resist bias and to value the differences between people as much as the similarities.
Teach them how to challenge biases and let them know that unjust things can be
changed - and that they can help change them. Remember that children will model
your behavior towards others. You set a good example when you:

Treat others with respect;

Avoid using stereotypes (even seemingly positive ones, such as
generalizing a whole ethnic group as exceptionally good at math or musically
talented);

Make it clear that prejudice is wrong;

Don't allow bigoted comments by others, even friends or family members,
to go unchallenged.
If we endow our children with both healthy self-esteem and respect for those
who are different from themselves, we help them grow into adults who will celebrate
diversity.
Reading Notes
*Martin Niemoller - a Protestant minister in Germany during World War II. He was
also a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps at this time. Later, he served as the
presdient of the World Council of Churches during the 1960s. He lived from 1892 to
1984.
After you have read the article, highlight new vocabulary and phrases that you
think are idiomatic.
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Answer the following comprehension questions:
1. What is the purpose of the article?
2. List the four sections of the article and the main idea of each one.
3. What is the meaning of multiculturalism?
4. According to the author, why is stereotyping bad? What is ironic about negative
stereotyping?
5. What are the benefits of a tolerant society?
Explain and expand on the following:
1. What is the meaning of the quote by Reverend Martin Niemoller?
2. Explain the analogy between biological diversity and cultural diversity.
3. Is it possible to be proud of your culture and not be ethnocentric?
Discuss the following words from the article "Cultural Diversity" with the members
of your group and write a brief definition for each. Don’t use a dictionary unless
you really have to!
bigot, bigotry
to resent, resentment
to counter
to assimilate, assimilation
ethnocentrism, ethnocentric
to belittle, belittling
to perpetrate, perpetrator
scapegoat
to degrade, degrading
obstinate, obstinately
engender
insofar as
hypocrite, hypocrisy
duplicity
dogmatic, dogmatism
pragmatic
extermination
harass
pervasive
seemingly
ethnocentrism, assimilate, pervasive, belittle, pragmatic, bigots, engender,
scapegoat, perpetrators, insofar as, degrading, seemingly
1.
To say that one ethnic group is particularly good at math is a ……….
positive statement; however, it is still a form of prejudice.
2.
Although racial and ethnic stereotyping is found in every society, it is much
more ………. in societies that are intolerant.
3.
Hate sites on the Internet are created by ………. who wish to spread their
hatred by using propaganda.
4.
When people ………. completely into a new culture, they lose their old
traditions and language.
5.
………. we are willing to ignore the dangers of cultural intolerance, we are
participating in its continuation.
6.
In addition to humanitarian reasons for accepting people of all backgrounds
as out equals, there are certain ………. reasons as well. It will lead to a healthier
and more prosperous society.
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7.
………. of hate crimes can expect particularly severe penalties in most states
in the USA.
8.
It is terribly __________________ to be the object of someone’s prejudice
because it places you in a position of helplessness.
9.
It is the parents’ job to __________________ respect and tolerance toward
others in their children.
10. __________________ promotes prejudice because it allows us to believe
that our ethnic group is categorically better than others.
11. If you hear one of your friends or relatives __________________ another
ethnic group in a conversation or joke, what should you say?
12. Even today, many governments in the world use a minority group as a
__________________, on whom they blame political or economic problems.
Every country’s history includes some form of intolerance.
1. What is multiculturalism? Are you a multiculturalist? In your opinion, is
multiculturalism really possible? Is it desirable? How can it be achieved?
2. Analyze the words of Rev. Martin Niemoller at the beginning of the article,
"Cultural Diversity." Although the context is that of the Nazi Holocaust, his
message is universal. What is he saying about the responsibility of people who
witness persecution? What is his message to you about your responsibility?
In Praise of Multiculturalism
Jun 14th 2007
From The Economist print edition
Almost everyone now agrees that it has failed. Has it really?
SWEAR WORDS, like everything else, are subject to fashion. Since the
London bombings of 2005, a new obscenity has entered the lexicon, alongside the
anatomical and the blasphemous: multiculturalism. Once it connoted curry and the
Notting Hill carnival; these days, when applied to British politicians or their
policies, “multiculturalist” is almost as derogatory a term as “socialist” or
“neocon”. Even more than they agree about most other things, the main political
parties are united in their conviction that multiculturalism is a perniciously naive
idea whose time has gone, or ought never to have come at all.
Last month, for example, David Cameron, the Tory leader, warned an
unenraptured audience of Islamic leaders about the dangers of “cultural
separatism” in Muslim communities. “The creed of multiculturalism,” he alleged—
meaning, roughly, a combination of indulgence and subsidy for minorities and
their institutions—had contributed to a “deliberate weakening of our collective
identity”. Two Labour ministers, meanwhile, suggested the creation of an annual
holiday to help cultivate a renewed sense of Britishness. A commission set up by
the government last year, to advise on segregation and extremism, recommended
that less money be spent on providing civic information in Urdu, Arabic and so on,
and more on unmulticultural English lessons.
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The shock of hearing a suicide-bomber's video testament delivered in a
Yorkshire accent—hitherto more associated with cricket commentary than
terrorism—spelled the end for multiculturalism. But even before the bombings the
word was becoming a slur. Rioting by Asian youths across northern England in the
summer of 2001 forced curry-house multiculturalists to confront the reality that
government nonchalance* had helped to engender. As well as the burned cars,
they saw fossilised social mores and the angry alienation of second- and thirdgeneration Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants, some of whom profess more
allegiance to the global umma than to Britain.
There are three reasons why the legions of anti-multiculturalists are wrong.
First, left to their own devices many immigrants to Britain have prospered. Indians
and some other minorities do better than whites in schools. There are many types
of British Muslims, and some of them are moving up and out. The 2005 bombers,
it now seems, were shaped and motivated as much by strife within Muslim
communities—fanatical Islamism serving as a perverse form of intergenerational
rebellion—as by schisms between Muslims and wider British society.
Second, multiculturalism's detractors tend to concentrate on the easy
targets. It is plainly true, for example, that Britain should anathematise notorious
practices such as forced marriage or “honour killing”. That government
commission and others are right to emphasise English lessons, especially for
women, since an inability to speak it harms their children's prospects as well as
their own. But less tends to be said about what are the most important determinants
of segregation, namely housing and education. “Multicultural” policies may have
created neighbourhoods and schools in which almost every face is the same colour.
But as well as being illiberal, most of the alternatives would probably create more
trouble and anger than they prevent.
Finally—and for all the disparaging talk about Londonistan, capital of
Eurabia—other countries, including those where the disparagement of
multiculturalism is sharpest, have less to teach Britain about integration than is
often assumed. That is partly because they have failures too, and partly because
their circumstances are too different to be meaningfully compared. Some talk
admiringly about the American solidarity embodied in the pledge of allegiance and
Mount Rushmore1. Yet in Chicago and elsewhere, black Americans are more
ghettoised than any minority is anywhere in Britain (they also intermarry less than
blacks in Britain). Many American immigrants may indeed stick the Stars and
Stripes on their front lawn as devoutly as do other hyphenated Americans; but,
apart from their faith, they may not have much in common with the Muslims of
Burnley or Oldham.
The vogue for promoting a new, inclusive Britishness is well-intentioned, but
probably doomed. National identities cannot be confected—and besides, the
British already have one. Privacy and freedom are two of its nicer components, and
multiculturalism, for all its failings, has been a fine expression of it.
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Mount Rushmore1 - a mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota, noted
for its giant relief carvings of four US Presidents-George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt-carved (1927-41) under the
direction of the sculptor Gutzon Borglum (1867-1941)
Ex. 1 Bring out the context in which the following words are used in the text
and use them in the sentences of your own paying special attention to
collocations:
blasphemous, derogatory, perniciosly, unenraptured, indulgence, deliberate,
engender, profess, allegiance, perverse, schisms , notorious, advocate,
disparagement, devoutly.
Ex 2. Explain and expand on the following:
o combination of indulgence and subsidy for minorities and their institutions
o suicide-bomber's video testament delivered in a Yorkshire accent—
o curry-house multiculturalists
o confront the reality that government nonchalance had helped to engender
o profess more allegiance to the global umma than to Britain.
o left to their own devices many immigrants
o and some of them are moving up and out
o it is a piffling force compared with far-right outfits elsewhere in Europe
o Britain should anathemise egregious practices
o community groups that cater to only one ethnicity or religion
o and for all the disparaging talk about Londonistan, capital of Eurabia
o indeed stick the Stars and Stripes on their front lawn as devoutly as do other
hyphenated Americans
o The vogue for promoting a new, inclusive Britishness
o National identities cannot be confected
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