2-3 Experiences and effects of living in a diverse society

What are the experiences and effects of living in a diverse society?

Socio-cultural diversity

Socio-cultural diversity can result in the exchange and appreciation of culture, as well as prejudice and misconceptions.

The immigrants will bring with them their own unique cultures. Cultural exchanges can create distinct experiences because of diversity in nationality, race and ethnicity and religion. A diverse society allows people to interact and learn from those who fail from different countries and cultures.

In diverse societies like Singapore, there are many opportunities for people from different backgrounds to interact and communicate. These opportunities may bring possibilities for misunderstanding. Differences in cultural background can lead to different and sometimes conflicting views on values, beliefs and customs. There might also be stereotypes about people which can be negative.

This would result in the fusion of local cultures and foreign ideas which can lead to interesting outcomes in the areas of food, music and fashion.

Negative sentiments can arise when people jump to conclusions about others and make incorrect judgements due to insufficient understanding and erroneous assumptions. Threats to diversity can also happen when prejudices lead to discrimination against the victims.

Hence, living in a diverse society can lead to the exchange and appreciation of culture, as well as prejudice and misconceptions.

Socio-economic diversity

Socio-economic diversity can result in the exchange and appreciation of ideas, skills and experiences, as well as the competition for resources.

Foreign scientists can share their knowledge and expertise to help strengthen research competencies and collaborations with Singaporeans. For example, the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) funds and supports public research initiatives in Singapore. Internationally renowned scientists with the expertise and knowledge to jump-start the country’s biomedical sciences moved to Singapore to provide leadership to local research institutes and mentored young local scientists.

Competition for resources could be in the form of opportunities or availability of infrastructure. With the inflow of foreigners into Singapore, there will be questions on how Singaporeans are able to cope with the increased competition for opportunities and living space. For example, there have been concerns over standard of living and social mobility. Employment, housing and transportation are some areas that some Singaporeans have expressed concerns over.

The openness to learn and collaborate with overseas scientists has led to robust research, which in turn had led to significant discoveries.

It will put a strain on the available resources in Singapore as there are more people competing for existing resources. The influx of immigrants may lead to an increase in the number of people competing for scarce resources in Singapore. This might result in tension and unhappiness among Singaporeans, leading to tense relations between the locals and immigrants.

Therefore, living in a diverse society can lead to the exchange and appreciation of culture, as well as prejudice and misconceptions.