2011-10-28

USA - The colours of America provides an overview of American diversity in all of its forms. The multicultural society is not all sunshine and roses, but a work in progress, with beautiful and ugly sides, successes and failures.

The diversity of America is not just an ethnic mosaic, but at the same time a question of ages and money, of values and beliefs, of housing patterns and ideology. The self-image of the nation, as a Protestant country of unlimited possibilities, is under pressure. All this raises tensions and mistrust and overheated political debates.

Yet America is experienced in dealing with diversity. The idea that the US should be white is definitively buried. Annually, a million legal newcomers arrive. Sooner or later, illegal immigrants will also find their place. Migrants integrate quickly, although they receive little help.

America holds up a mirror to us. Europe is both more generous with support and more frugal with understanding. Integration is difficult and traditions clash.

Team members

Bert De Vroey

Bert De Vroey is a Belgian journalist.

Supported
€ 2.200 allocated on 11/05/2011.
ID
FPD/2011/877

BOOK (In Dutch)

  • Title: De kleuren van Amerika
  • Subtitle: Spiegel voor Europa
  • Author: Bert De Vroey
  • Editor: Houtekiet
  • Pages: 320
  • ISBN: 9789089241924
  • Date of publication: 28/11/2011

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