China's Assimilationist Language Policy

12    Minority language rights andeducation in China

The relevance of human rights lawand substantive equality

Kelley Loper

Introduction

Many multicultural societies struggle to achieve a workable dynamic that encourages cultural and linguistic diversity as well as social integration while avoiding the imposition of a majority culture on minority communities against their will. A key challenge involves formulating laws and policies which allow for full participation, prevent the assimilation of groups which are characterized by difference, and move toward the accommodation and celebration of that difference. In reality, an appropriate balance is often difficult to realize. As Dunbar notes, while “an integrationist policy toward minorities is ...