People around the world are interconnected today more than ever before. While many travel to other countries for work or vacation, others settle in new nations for the remainder of their lives. As a result, most nations around the world are home to a diversity of people with a variety of languages, cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. However, some countries are more diverse than others. For example, the African nation of Chad is ranked as the most culturally diverse in the world, with 8.6 million citizens belonging to over 100 ethnic groups. Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse, with 8.8 million people speaking 840 languages.

Policymakers may then face unique challenges in meeting the needs of a diverse population. How can leaders ensure all religions are respected equally? What policies should be in place to support people in accessing government services when they do not speak the dominant language? How should education strike a balance between fostering national unity and supporting ethnic diversity? What is the path to citizenship for immigrants? These are just a few of the pressing questions policymakers must navigate in today’s multiethnic societies.

When policies are either absent or poorly enforced, countries may experience civil unrest, leading to mass casualties or refugee crises. The Rohingya crisis is just one example. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, has been subjected to decades of ethnic and religious discrimination and violence. In 2017, a violent military crackdown forced over 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, where they now live in overcrowded refugee camps with limited access to resources.

What Can Public Administrators Do?

Addressing the needs of all citizens is a major function of public administration and policy professionals. Historically, these professionals have addressed the needs of multiethnic populations by adopting one of three policy models: integration, differentialism, or multiculturalism. However, not all of these approaches have been equally effective. Learn more about each of these policy models below.

Integration

When a government implements an integrationist model, it crafts policies that encourage ethnic minorities to assimilate by adopting aspects of the dominant culture. In some cases, expectations of assimilation can lead to loss of cultural diversity, feelings of exclusion, and harm for minority communities. At its most extreme, integration pressures or even requires people to give up their languages, religions, and cultural practices. In practice, however, full assimilation is rarely enforceable.

Today, moderate approaches to the integrationist model are more common in public policy. For instance, while non-English speaking individuals in the U.S. may face pressure to learn the dominant language, public policy also offers accommodations to assist non-English speakers in accessing government programs and services in their native language. This represents a somewhat more moderate approach that does not require ethnic minorities to fully assimilate into the dominant culture to access public services.

Differentialism

Differentialism represents the opposite approach, wherein policies promote the separation of cultural groups, expecting them to lead largely separate lives. Instead of resulting in effective public policy, however, extreme differentialist approaches often lead to discrimination and conflicts among groups. Historical examples include India's caste system, South Africa’s Apartheid, and segregation in the United States.

Europe’s post-World War II guest-worker programs, which were most common in West Germany, exemplify a moderate form of differentialist policy. Through these programs, workers from other nations received temporary visas to help re-build German society after the war. Initially, these temporary workers lived separate lives from the German citizens — but eventually, social and cultural demarcations started to disappear. Many of the guest workers gained permanent residency, and their descendants still live in Germany today.  

Multiculturalism

In some countries, multiculturalism is seen as the most effective way to protect the rights of all ethnic groups. This policy model emphasizes broad acceptance and equal treatment of all cultures. Canada is a leading example, recognizing no single cultural standard and upholding equality regardless of ethnicity. Unlike countries with a single national language, Canada has two official languages, English and French, which appear in all government documentation, while citizens are not expected to speak both. In a multicultural framework, policymakers ensure that all cultural groups receive equitable treatment, with additional support for indigenous populations as well.

Public Policy and Public Administration Degrees

These multicultural models are a few examples of the complex and exciting world of policymakers and public administrators. If you are interested in pursuing a career in public policy, explore it further by learning more about the MPAP online degree from American University. 

To learn more about how American University’s online Master of Public Administration and Policy can advance your career, request more information or call us toll free at 855-725-7614.