A mixed population

During the last thirty years Britain has undergone a sometimes painful education about people, race, colour, prejudice and different cultural values. The experience of living in a multi-racial society has undoubtedly changed people’s attitudes. Racial prejudice still exists and occasionally flares into violence, but somehow we have become a society of mixed races.

If you discuss the need for national groups to preserve their identity by protecting themselves against immigrants you will find most of your British friends bewildered by what they will interpret as ‘racism’. However, the desire to preserve operates in both directions. We are already asking how far the immigrant groups should try to assimilate and how far they should try to preserve their own traditions. The first language of the Asian population is not English. Should the first priority be to teach them good English, or to help them protect their native languages? How far should English schools adapt to the immigrants and their children and how far should the children be expected to take for granted a white British way of life? Here is a Muslim boy from Bradford reflecting on the problem.

“To be a strict Muslim in Britain can at times be awkward but by no means impossible. But to be a strict Muslim and at the same time accepted by society is not so easy. Integration of any minority can be difficult, but the recent Gulf conflict has not made things easy for Muslims in Britain…The west at the moment needs an enemy, as the old favourites such as communism have gone… Of course it’s very easy to blame the West, but do the Muslim communities want integration? Unfortunately my experience suggests that some communities do not. They are quite happy to live their lives doing business with fellow Muslims. This negative attitude is just as dangerous as any racism, for in itself it’s a form of racism.

It’s important wherever integration does occur that the culture and way of life does not change much. Politically, I’m British, but my religion, culture and way of life, although influenced by the British way of life comes from my Muslim background. I have friends of various backgrounds, and continue with life normally (at least, what I perceive as normal). But friends of mine who were brought up in a Muslim community all their life have friends only of Muslim background and have in no way experienced other cultures. If this continues, integration will never come about.

The only way to reduce racism is to increase awareness, to educate people. Simple as it sounds, we’re failing…”

This boy has no doubt that integration is desirable, but that it must be done without cutting people off from what is familiar to them. Variety of experience is the best way of education. Since variety includes strangeness it is regarded with suspicion by people on all sides. But fortunately many more, white and black, are learning to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life. They are trying the balancing trick of preserving both difference and harmony. As you walk about the streets and talk to people, you will be able to judge how well they have succeeded.

(from Understanding Britain by Karen Hewitt)

Exercise 7. Give Russian equivalents for:

To preserve one’s identity; the first priority; to protect one’s native language; to adapt to the immigrants; to take for granted a white British way of life; to be accepted by society; to want integration; integration does occur; to be brought up in a Muslim community; to have friends of various backgrounds; to reduce racism; to increase awareness; to educate people; to cut people off from what is familiar to them; to be regarded with suspicion; to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of each other’s culture and way of life; to preserve both difference and harmony.

Exercise 7. Give English equivalents for:

Пройти болезненный путь знакомства с различными культурными ценностями; изменить отношение людей; разгореться во вспышки насилия; защитить себя от иммигрантов; привести в недоумение; действовать в обоих направлениях; сохранить традиции; научить хорошо говорить по-английски; размышлять над проблемой; затруднительно; обвинять Западные страны; отрицательное отношение; воспринимать; не иметь опыта общения с представителями других культур; интеграции не произойдет; уменьшить проявления расизма; восприниматься всеми сторонами; сохранить равновесие; судить; преуспеть.

Discussion

• The first language of the immigrants from former Soviet republics is not Russian.

Should the first priority be to teach them good Russian?

• How far should Russian schools adapt to the immigrants and their children?

• How far should the immigrants be expected to take for granted a Russian way of life?

• Some countries have decided to ban the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women in public places, including schools. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

• Should all citizens of national republics in Russia speak titular language?

• Discuss some ways and means for any new ethnic group to become fully integrated into national life.

Presentation topics (12 баллов)

• Russians in the Baltic states

• Muslims in Russia

• From Language Revival to Language Removal? The Teaching of Titular Languages in the National Republics of Post-Soviet Russia