Abstract

While it has been argued that the practice of Multiculturalism in Canada encourages a sense of acceptance and belonging for minorities and immigrants (Kymlicka, 2010), it is also seen as inherently differentiating individuals by viewing them as “others” being accepted (Gerin-Lajoie, 2008), leading to marginalization socially and economically.  This paper is a comparative study that seeks to critically analyze the concept of Multiculturalism as a disempowering policy in Canada, especially as a practice in the field of education.  A comparative analysis is made with Multiculturalism in the United Arab Emirates where over three quarters of the population are “expatriates” from other ethnic groups, who face systematic and symbolic segregation, thus inhibiting cross cultural exchanges. A neo-colonial framework is used in analysis and the paper is informed by a comprehensive literature review and my personal experiences as a “minority” student in Canada and as a teacher in the UAE. As a result of highlighting these complexities, the need to promote social justice and anti-discrimination through education is proposed.