Written by Parinaaz Bains
Edited by Khooshi Jajoo
Illustrated by Spoorti
nitimur in vetitum
(We strive for the forbidden)
- Used by Friedrich Nietzsche in his Ecce Homo
Many cultural groups were denied the past. In the modern age, multiculturalism in society and education is sought by most scholars. The need for possessing knowledge from all perspectives is crucial in our war-stricken world. So is accepting and celebrating these cultures which have otherwise been marginalized. But does human nature historically display kindness to what it deems foreign? And how are we to overcome centuries of narratives in literature, history and society?
In the grand tapestry of modern democracies, where the threads of diverse cultures, races, and ethnicities weave together, there emerges a vision known as multiculturalism. This perspective champions the idea that the distinctiveness of minority groups deserves special acknowledgment within a dominant political culture. It calls for a recognition of their unique contributions to the cultural mosaic, demands for specific protections under the law, and, in some instances, the autonomy to govern themselves. Multiculturalism is not merely an acknowledgment of cultural pluralism but a response to historical exclusions and discriminations, seeking to integrate diverse voices while respecting their differences rather than forced assimilation. Contrary to the traditional liberal approach that advocates for an abstract equality under the law, multiculturalism presents a challenge. Liberal democracies often treat citizens as equals by abstracting from their varied social, cultural, and economic realities, thus creating a homogenized view of the political community. This perspective assumes a singular political culture in which all individuals are expected to blend, akin to a melting pot. Multiculturalism, however, offers an alternative image—a tossed salad. It envisions a society where, while individuals remain integral parts of the whole, they preserve their unique identities within the collective. This approach addresses the limitations of abstract equality of liberalism by acknowledging and accommodating the distinct cultural identities that contribute to the richness of the society.
The influence of multiculturalism extends into the realm of education, where it has driven significant changes in curricula. There has been a concerted effort to revise educational materials to include the contributions of minority and previously marginalized groups. This revision aims to correct a Eurocentric bias that had long overshadowed the achievements of indigenous peoples and people of color. The expansion of the Western literary canon to include Indian postcolonial or subaltern studies, global history, transnational history, cultural history and gender studies with the introduction of feminist literature and race theory, reflect a broader move to include multicultural contributions in the educational narrative. In literature authors such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jean-Paul Sartre contributed to the development of multicultural literature. This inclusion seeks to rectify historical omissions and provide a more accurate and inclusive account of cultural contributions.
The marginalization of these historians and writers and their stories also deeply affected the traditional canon written by western writers. In Indian context infusing multiculturalism is equally tedious and natural as the blend of cultures in India truly highlights the need for a multicultural society. In India, the intricate interplay among various social, linguistic, racial, and religious cultures is so multifaceted and numerous that fitting them into a unified sociological or ethnic-cultural framework is virtually impossible. Unlike simpler multicultural contexts, India's diversity is marked by a complex and convoluted web of cultural interactions. This complexity is a natural outcome of a society where nearly 80 languages are spoken, literature is produced in around 20 languages, and there is a history of significant social migrations spanning over 3,000 years. Indians are inherently bicultural, navigating a bilingual or multilingual cultural landscape. They possess an innate ability to adapt their cultural codes based on social contexts while living within a rich, native social environment. On the other hand, highlighting differences in society without celebrating them can cause serious trespasses. This can lead to conflict or form an overly simplistic view of multiculturalism by using comparative techniques to raise some cultures above others. Sociologists describe these two tendencies with the terms sanskritization and westernization. These two trends have been institutionalized in modern Indian culture and literature. The implications of such a process for a growing culture are the serious aberrations, and the growth of its own tradition becomes tortuous.
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