Citizens of liberal democracies hold that their theory of governance is the most just, the most consistent with freedom, and the most likely to promote human flourishing. Yet, Canada, one of the world＇s most liberal ...Citizens of liberal democracies hold that their theory of governance is the most just, the most consistent with freedom, and the most likely to promote human flourishing. Yet, Canada, one of the world＇s most liberal and progressive democracies, has consistently been unable to come to terms with the minority nations in its midst. Why would national minorities resist joining fully in a just liberal democratic state？ And in the face of this refusal, what sort of relationship should the majority establish with these national minorities？ I argue that their resistance stems from an axiom of mainstream liberalism, ＂the civic unity assumption,＂ which holds that, ideally, all citizens endorse a single, unified state. While seemingly innocuous, this assumption extinguishes First Nations and Qurbrcois＇ claims to sovereignty. I conclude that this assumption--that majority and minority nationals must all work within the boundaries of a single constitutional structure--is ultimately an assimilative one, demanding that minority nationals merge their political community into the civic project of the majority. Drawing from John Rawls＇ The Law of Peoples, I argue that minority nations are best characterized as ＂peoples＂--complete societies with their own unique moral, cultural, and political traditions. If we accept this claim, we will come to see the multinational state differently： not as a political project uniting all citizens, but as a pact between nations; equal sovereign peoples coming together in a spirit of reciprocity to work out fair terms of social and political cooperation.展开更多
The paper focuses on the connotation of ethnic culture elements of college English education for Three Minority Nations in Inner Mongolia and comprehensive and scientific explanation for Three Minority Nations. Corres...The paper focuses on the connotation of ethnic culture elements of college English education for Three Minority Nations in Inner Mongolia and comprehensive and scientific explanation for Three Minority Nations. Corresponding solutions were proposed from the aspects of teachers, teaching materials, curriculum and so on and feasible suggestions were put forward for nationality culture building by the English education of Three Minority Nations in Inner Mongolia on this basis.展开更多
The State Council Information Office published on September 27, 2009, a white paper entitled China＇ s Policies toward Minorities and Common Prosperity and Development of All Nationalities. The white paper says that t...The State Council Information Office published on September 27, 2009, a white paper entitled China＇ s Policies toward Minorities and Common Prosperity and Development of All Nationalities. The white paper says that the policies well fit the national conditions and are correct. They are instrumental to promoting harmonious coexistence of all nationalities that work with one heart and one mind and in mutual cooperation; they have helped open up a good national situation characterized by economic development, political stability,展开更多
CHINA is a unified multi-ethnic country. Besides the populous Han nationality, China has 55 minorities with a population of 91.2 million, accounting for 8.04 percent of the country’s total. The area of the minority a...CHINA is a unified multi-ethnic country. Besides the populous Han nationality, China has 55 minorities with a population of 91.2 million, accounting for 8.04 percent of the country’s total. The area of the minority autonomous regions is 64.3 percent of the total national territory. Before 1949, almost all minority women in China were illiterate. Since the founding of New China, the female education among the minority nationalities has made great progress. According to the fourth national census, the female population of minorities over six years old is 38.18 million. Of these 15.3 million females have received a primary education; 7.展开更多
The transcultural communication that characterizes our times needs to be carried out in a few commonly shared languages and this requirement has sharpened the awareness about uneven language status. While defenders of...The transcultural communication that characterizes our times needs to be carried out in a few commonly shared languages and this requirement has sharpened the awareness about uneven language status. While defenders of minor languages frequently make use of such concepts as ecosystem, human rights, capital, power, imperialism, etc. To express alarm at the spread of the English language in the present world, researchers tend to forget that these concepts applied to languages are only metaphors which, taken at their face value, would conceal the non- exclusive nature of language as a communicative instrument. A question is raised as to whether we should go beyond an essentially nationalist perception of language inherited from the nineteenth century.展开更多
文摘Citizens of liberal democracies hold that their theory of governance is the most just, the most consistent with freedom, and the most likely to promote human flourishing. Yet, Canada, one of the world＇s most liberal and progressive democracies, has consistently been unable to come to terms with the minority nations in its midst. Why would national minorities resist joining fully in a just liberal democratic state？ And in the face of this refusal, what sort of relationship should the majority establish with these national minorities？ I argue that their resistance stems from an axiom of mainstream liberalism, ＂the civic unity assumption,＂ which holds that, ideally, all citizens endorse a single, unified state. While seemingly innocuous, this assumption extinguishes First Nations and Qurbrcois＇ claims to sovereignty. I conclude that this assumption--that majority and minority nationals must all work within the boundaries of a single constitutional structure--is ultimately an assimilative one, demanding that minority nationals merge their political community into the civic project of the majority. Drawing from John Rawls＇ The Law of Peoples, I argue that minority nations are best characterized as ＂peoples＂--complete societies with their own unique moral, cultural, and political traditions. If we accept this claim, we will come to see the multinational state differently： not as a political project uniting all citizens, but as a pact between nations; equal sovereign peoples coming together in a spirit of reciprocity to work out fair terms of social and political cooperation.
文摘The paper focuses on the connotation of ethnic culture elements of college English education for Three Minority Nations in Inner Mongolia and comprehensive and scientific explanation for Three Minority Nations. Corresponding solutions were proposed from the aspects of teachers, teaching materials, curriculum and so on and feasible suggestions were put forward for nationality culture building by the English education of Three Minority Nations in Inner Mongolia on this basis.
文摘The State Council Information Office published on September 27, 2009, a white paper entitled China＇ s Policies toward Minorities and Common Prosperity and Development of All Nationalities. The white paper says that the policies well fit the national conditions and are correct. They are instrumental to promoting harmonious coexistence of all nationalities that work with one heart and one mind and in mutual cooperation; they have helped open up a good national situation characterized by economic development, political stability,
文摘CHINA is a unified multi-ethnic country. Besides the populous Han nationality, China has 55 minorities with a population of 91.2 million, accounting for 8.04 percent of the country’s total. The area of the minority autonomous regions is 64.3 percent of the total national territory. Before 1949, almost all minority women in China were illiterate. Since the founding of New China, the female education among the minority nationalities has made great progress. According to the fourth national census, the female population of minorities over six years old is 38.18 million. Of these 15.3 million females have received a primary education; 7.
文摘The transcultural communication that characterizes our times needs to be carried out in a few commonly shared languages and this requirement has sharpened the awareness about uneven language status. While defenders of minor languages frequently make use of such concepts as ecosystem, human rights, capital, power, imperialism, etc. To express alarm at the spread of the English language in the present world, researchers tend to forget that these concepts applied to languages are only metaphors which, taken at their face value, would conceal the non- exclusive nature of language as a communicative instrument. A question is raised as to whether we should go beyond an essentially nationalist perception of language inherited from the nineteenth century.
