Multiculturalism: a failure or an expensive sociopolitical phenomenon for the 21 Century?

[Balosa, David]

                              Multiculturalism: a failure or an expensive sociopolitical phenomenon for the 21 Century?


The French president Nicolas Sarkozy declares multiculturalism "a failure". Also some world leaders such as the German Chancellor, The British Prime minister, former Spanish prime minister, and the Australia's former prime minister share President Sarkozy's opinion. As a response to these  world leaders' assessment of  multiculturalism, no matter what your stand on  multiculturalism is, would you agree with them or not?  I would rather make an assumption that the international community may have miscalculated the cost of multiculturalism accommodation rather than calling it  a failure. Here goes their expressions on multiculturalism as reported by French 24 TV channel news on February 10, 2011.

AFP - French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday declared that multiculturalism had failed, joining a growing number of world leaders or ex-leaders who have condemned it.
              
"We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him," he said in a television interview in which he declared the concept a "failure."  
              
British Prime Minister David Cameron last month pronounced his country's long-standing policy of multiculturalism a failure, calling for better integration of young Muslims to combat home-grown extremism.
              
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Australia's former prime minister John Howard and former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar have also in recent months said multicultural policies have not successfully integrated immigrants. 

Cultures contact as a phenomenon cannot be assessed in terms of failure or success,  but in terms of resources to accommodates all entities and identities involved.  Now, if these world leaders feel that multiculturalism has been a failure, do they think that globalization will be a success?

I would like to read your reaction on these world leaders' assessment of multiculturalism.

Please read the full story in the link bellow.
 
http://mobile.france24.com/en/20110210-multiculturalism-failed-immigration-sarkozy-live-broadcast-tf1-france-public-questions

David Balosa
ESL & Literacy Instructor
LaSalle University
University Ministry & Service
215-224-1189
5218 N. Carlisle Street, Philadelphia, PA 19141
balosa at lasalle.edu