Interethnic tolerance among multiethnic youth

Abstract

A pluralistic nation like Malaysia needs an extremely organised and sensible society in order to be fruitfully tolerant. Living in a plural community demands a strong willingness to accommodate different ethnic expectations. Tolerance is crucial for the achievement of the right kind of community. It takes a collective voice among all the communities on the character of the nation they want to live in, and the respective rights and obligations within it to overcome the challenge of managing a diverse society, more so in a multiethnic one. The nature of a tolerant society inclined its members to be attentive and open to form a relationship that is continuous and reliable. To understand youth’s life experience in regards to growing up amidst a multi-ethnic milieu, we have to explore their experiences to see how they are able to adapt and assimilate. This is an important aspect of fostering understanding with the different ethnic groups with motives that contribute to the formation of social citizenship and a participatory democracy. This research will focus on how Malaysian youth make sense of the seemingly calm and peaceful nation and how their negotiations and resolutions relate to their qualitative citizenship in a multi-ethnic society.