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Summary Of We The Others By Toula Dimonis

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In “We, the Others: Allophones, Immigrants, and Belonging in Canada,” by Toula Drimonis, the author delves into the lives of allophones and immigrants in Quebec, emphasizing their hardship, self-giving and social integration obstacles. Drimonis attempts to refute the idea that immigrants are to blame for Quebec’s declining French population, therefore the stories of being “othered” and attempting to fit in are essential to the book. She explores the intellectual background and the historical development of xenophobia, highlighting the significance of identity, culture, and language in Quebec. The author emphasizes the emotional link to the experience of immigrants and allophones via their personal tales, highlighting the tensions and conflicts …show more content…

To begin with, throughout the book, the author shares the accounts of other people who have experienced marginalization or prejudice because of their identity, culture, or language, such as immigrants and minority groups. Those marginalized groups were referred to as the “other” in this book. To explore that, she discusses her own experiences as a second-generation immigrant in Quebec. These stories show how, despite professed commitments to tolerance and diversity, people can still be “othered” and shifted out of the greater community. Drimonis recognizes the value of Quebec’s distinct linguistic and cultural identity while highlighting the necessity of appreciating and respecting cultural diversity, she wrote: “"Integration, Drimonis points out, also includes widening one’s point of view. That holds for both the society-at-large and the immigrant. Hummus is a great idea! And immigrants necessarily adjust their own prejudices to fit in; she includes an anecdote about a Syrian refugee and becoming OK with a gay …show more content…

Despite its good intentions, Drimonis contends that the French Language Charter may cause non-francophone populations to become marginalized. She contends that a more nuanced approach to language policy may aid in fostering an inclusive society and bridging the gap between linguistic communities. Moreover, as we know, the book emphasizes the experiences of “the others” in Quebec, and Drimonis makes the case that their identity, language and culture should be preserved and acknowledged. She contends that acknowledging and appreciating the diversity of Quebec society is the best way to resolve the tensions and conflicts that surround language, culture, and identity in the province. Additionally, more understanding of the tensions and struggles surrounding identity and belonging in Quebec may be gained from Drimonis’s examination of the media and political debates around integration. She contends that these disputes frequently lack journalistic integrity and are political campaign tools used to incite anti-immigration

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