ABSTRACT
Two years ago, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, announced that multiculturalism is “a sham”. The context of her statement is complex, as it followed an overwhelming wave of immigration that had taken the whole of Europe by surprise. Germany had been viewed as a beacon of hope by tragedy-struck individuals fleeing the Middle East. Merkel’s claim refers to how multiculturalism and cultural and personal identities have been interpreted and lived in Germany. As Kenan Malik announces, “[i]n both the United Kingdom and Germany, governments failed to recognize the complexity, elasticity, and sheer contrariness of identity.”
In this contextual background, the primary aim of this chapter was formulated to examine the genesis of multiculturalism in Europe, including how it has acquired nuanced meanings and interpretation in past few decades. We will then trace a brief history of the multiculturalist project and its success or limits in Canada and review the European efforts to implement multiculturalist ideals on a national level and within the broader pluricultural EU policies. The concept of transculturalism, or cultural diversity (a melting of cultural markers) will also be examined and compared to multiculturalism (a gathering of multiple and distinct contributions to the mainstream culture).
