Shaping Pluralistic Cohesive Societies

Abstract

This paper aims to prepare an individual to function effectively in a constantly changing multi-faith, multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-everything society with minimum conflicts. Pluralism is a new subject with a focus on its effect on different aspects of life in building cohesive societies where no one has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. Pluralism means respecting the otherness of others in religion, culture, politics, and the workplace. You may see people of different faiths, races, cultures, and ethnicities interacting, working, studying, intermingling, playing, and marrying each other. A decade from now, you may not see the monopoly of a race or cultural groups in the workplace, place of worship, school, bus, train, theater, library, or other public gatherings. These interactions between people not familiar with each other’s culture lend themselves to misunderstandings and are bound to create conflicts. As responsible members of society, we must prepare ourselves to prevent possible challenges and lay a foundation for the effective functioning of institutions where every human feels secure about his faith, race, ethnicity, culture, language, political or sexual orientation, or any other uniqueness. Exclusive communities will become a thing of the past. If you live amidst others, you should also respect the otherness of others, as you expect them to do the same for you.