Dealing With Cultural Diversity

Abstract

The present research was conducted among ethnic minority and majority youth in the Netherlands, examining the endorsement of four models for dealing with multiculturalism: mosaic, melting pot, assimilation, and segregation. Results showed that, compared to the majority group, minorities were more in favor of the mosaic model and less in favor of assimilation. Furthermore, endorsement of the models was related to beliefs about equality, national cohesion and group identification. Among both groups, the former measure was positively related to endorsement of the mosaic and melting-pot models, and negatively to the assimilation and segregation models. The importance of national cohesion was positively related to assimilation and negatively to the mosaic model, but more strongly among the majority group. In addition, for the minority group, group identification was positively related to the mosaic model and negatively to assimilation. For the majority group, these associations were, respectively, negatively and positively related.