商品簡介
Canadian society differs from the US - in particular, a central theme is the problem of reconciling Quebec nationalist aspirations within the economic union of Canada and its English speaking majority. While the U.S solution to 'ethnic' diversity has officially been the 'melting pot' model, the Canadian approach has formally been the recognition of diversity and group rights within the contemporary policy of 'multiculturalism.' The policy emerged from a national debate that attempted to conciliate the French Quebec population, but it resulted in the eventual recognition of the 'Other' groups. This book examines the Canadian socio-cultural policies of immigration and 'multiculturalism,' and the impact on socio-economic and spatial differentiation in Canadian society, with Montreal as the case study. The main objectives are to illustrate levels of stratification within Canadian society and to analyze this within a historical and material framework. Throughout the country's immigration history, there have been preferred groups whom the government actually sought, as well as those who were actively discouraged or even barred from entering Canada. These distinctions were often based on overtly 'racist' notions of Canadian national identity and constructions of the 'Other.' The book's analysis will focus especially on groups, such as the Jewish and African Canadian minorities, as well as the dominant British and French. While immigration policies are mainly concerned with settlement, the policy of 'multiculturalism' places emphasis on the place of the newcomers within society. The book asserts that the policy of 'multiculturalism' contributes to reinforce stratification in Canadian society. The book assesses various conceptual schools of thought pertaining to issues of social and spatial segregation, and conceptual questions, such as the construction of 'race' and 'ethnicity' and the role of the State in implementing social policies. Pertaining to notions of national identity, socio-cultural polices within a historical analysis are presented. Analysis of Canada's immigration history and the experiences of various immigrant groups is carried out in order to demonstrate the construction of national identity and how it affects the 'Others.' Montreal and Quebecois social formations are critically examined from a historical perspective. Detailed empirical analysis of social and spatial segregation in Montreal is provided, in relation to the historical and conceptual analysis. The book ultimately examines the state of contemporary race relations in the city.
