Multiculturalism at Kenyon

 

In the Civil Sphere, Jeffery Alexander says that America goes from assimilation to hyphenation to multiculturalism. In contrast to assimilation, multiculturalism has turned into a celebration of culture. He claims "the multiculturalism mode of incorporation is not about limiting the characteristics, but rather to purify them and expand the experiences for the members of the base group (Alexander 2006:52). Similarly, the organisers of this event claimed that "Our goal for the event was to celebrate the diversity of cultures and ethnicities that Kenyon students embody and to invite other students to thoughtful engage with this diversity as well." (Ubongabasi). In celebrating multiculturalism, Kenyon allows to expands the experiences of their international peers to their community.

In this image, our very own school is celebrating multiculturalism. The purpose of the event was to "develop an appreciation and respect for cultures different from our own and making an effort to come alongside these cultures when they celebrate or mourn".  The night was a fashion show, showcasing over 20 different countries, as well as an opportunity to try different cuisines. In this photo we see people clapping as Kefa Memeh (class of 22) shows off the clothing from her native country. Throughout the whole night people seemed to indulge in other cultures. Many people celebrated when representatives of various countries walked down to show off their respective clothing. Further, everyone celebrated through trying different cuisines. 

Sources:

Alexander, Jeffrey C. 2006. The Civil Sphere. New York: Oxford Press.

Asuquo Address Gambier, Ubongabasi, and Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram. “Lights, Camera, EAT: Multicultural Night at Kenyon.” Kenyon College, Kenyon College, 2 Mar. 2022, https://www.kenyon.edu/news/archive/lights-camera-eat-multicultural-night-at-kenyon/.