Canadian Mosaic
Encyclopedia
Canadian Mosaic was a book by John Murray Gibbon
, published in 1938. Gibbon's book, the full title of which was Canadian Mosaic: The Making of a Northern Nation, heralded a new way of thinking about immigrants that was to shape Canadian immigration policy in the latter part of the Twentieth century. The idea of a mosaic, in which each cultural group retained a distinct identity and still contributed to the nation as a whole, was in contrast to the melting pot
, a popular metaphor for the more assimilationist American
approach to immigration.
The idea of a mosaic of cultures forming a nation was adopted by Canadian sociologist John Porter
in his study of social class, entitled: Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class and Power in Canada. The mosaic theme became a part of Canadian multiculturalism
policy in the 1970s, which envisioned Canada as a "cultural mosaic
".
John Murray Gibbon
John Murray Gibbon was a Scottish Canadian writer and cultural promoter. He was born in Ceylon and educated at Aberdeen, Oxford and Göttingen universities. Gibbon emigrated to Canada in 1913 to work for the Canadian Pacific Railway...
, published in 1938. Gibbon's book, the full title of which was Canadian Mosaic: The Making of a Northern Nation, heralded a new way of thinking about immigrants that was to shape Canadian immigration policy in the latter part of the Twentieth century. The idea of a mosaic, in which each cultural group retained a distinct identity and still contributed to the nation as a whole, was in contrast to the melting pot
Melting pot
The melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture...
, a popular metaphor for the more assimilationist American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
approach to immigration.
The idea of a mosaic of cultures forming a nation was adopted by Canadian sociologist John Porter
John Porter (sociologist)
John Arthur Porter was one of Canada's most important sociologists during the period from 1950 to the late 1970s. His work in the field of social stratification opened up new areas of inquiry for many sociologists in Canada.Porter was born in Vancouver and completed his education at the London...
in his study of social class, entitled: Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class and Power in Canada. The mosaic theme became a part of Canadian multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
policy in the 1970s, which envisioned Canada as a "cultural mosaic
Cultural mosaic
"Cultural mosaic" is a term used to describe the mix of ethnic groups, languages and cultures that co-exist within Canadian society. The idea of a cultural mosaic is intended to champion an ideal of multiculturalism, differently from other systems like the melting pot, which is often used to...
".