ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of chapters and identify key issues and themes. This is done in a context where diversity now characterizes most societies and responses to it are mixed. The special emphasis of the book is on family diversity in Asian contexts.
There is hope in these chapters, hope that is not often found in multiculturalism in recent times. Families have hope in their children and communities seek both to understand those outside of themselves while also maintaining their own distinctiveness. Governments are shown to support diversity although not always with great success and often with unexpected outcomes. Nevertheless, there are attempts to cater for diverse needs even if at times these seem to be largely aspirational. The chapters are rich in theory that expands multicultural understanding and supports multicultural families and communities. An important question to consider is the role of policy in supporting these families and communities. If they are self-sustaining, how can or should governments support them? Finally, the need for Indigenous knowledge relating to cultural equity is discussed. Narrative of transformative multiculturalism needs to be questioned considering the cases reported in this book.
