Defining Reasonable Accommodation

Donald M. TaylorMcGill University

The Quiet Evolution of Language and Cultural Relations in Canada:A Tribute to the Work of Wallace Lambert

March 17-18, 2011

It all went wrong on “Multicultural Night” in inner-city Detroit

• From Multilingualism to multiculturalism• Mosaics and Melting Pots• No amount of heat and stirring was enough

Mean Responses on the Debate over Assimilation versus Mutliculturalism

Pol

ish

Am

eric

ans

Alb

ania

n A

mer

ican

s

Ara

b A

mer

ican

s

Mex

ican

Am

eric

ans

Pue

rto R

ican

Am

eric

ans

Whi

te A

mer

ican

s (W

orki

ng C

lass

)

Whi

te A

mer

ican

s (M

iddl

e C

lass

)

Bla

ck A

mer

ican

s (H

amtra

mck

)

Bla

ck A

mer

ican

s (P

ontia

c)

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Mea

n A

ttit

ud

e R

atin

gs

Pro Assimilation

Pro Multiculturalism

The American Persona

• War and peace• Bread and butter• Black and white

• Preoccupation with what is, or is not, “American”

Why oh Why did we choose Miami ?

• Is it OK if I blame you, Wally ?• Maybe Detroit was unique• Same results in Miami?• If so, what might reasonable accommodation

look like?

Cultural Debate in Each of Three Social Contexts for Whites, Blacks, Cubans,

Nicaraguans, and Haitians Keep up Heritage Culture

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ethnic Group

So

cia

l Co

nte

xt

Home

Community

Public

Cultural Debate in Each of Three Social Contexts for Whites, Blacks, Cubans,

Nicaraguans, and Haitians Take on U.S Culture

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ethnic Group

So

cia

l Co

nte

xt

Home

Community

Public

Language Debate in Each of Three Social Contexts for Whites, Blacks, Cubans,

Nicaraguans, and Haitians Use Heritage Language

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ethnic Group

So

cia

l Co

nte

xt

Home

Community

Public

Language Debate in Each of Three Social Contexts for Whites, Blacks, Cubans,

Nicaraguans, and Haitians Use English

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ethnic Group

So

cia

l Co

nte

xt

Home

Community

Public

Conclusions

• Boston ( Cambridge) was next• It was most promising• First genuine two-way bilingual program

(Mary & Sal-amander Cazabon)• Reasonable accommodation in action