Attitude towards Multiculturalism – Majority in Minority Perspective

Even within a globalizing world, Luxembourg takes an exceptional position with a foreign population of 44 %. Within the capital of Luxembourg, home to a fifth of the country’s population, the native population only makes up 33% of the population. Outwardly the cosmopolitan diversity is praised, but how is this increasingly plural composition of society perceived by the native population which finds itself in the minority within its own capital? To investigate this specific “majority as minority”-perspective a quantitative study was conducted within a Luxembourg employer (N = 507) which has a large native born work force. We examined the endorsement of multiculturalism using an adaptation of the Multiculturalism Ideology Scale and the Social Participation Subscale of the Multicultural Attitude Scale. We tested the relationship between demographic variables and different forms of culture contact experience and the endorsement of multiculturalism. The results show an endorsement of the idea of a plurally composed society shared by the majority of respondents; the results also show reluctance towards specific social participation measures of the allochthonous population. A slight gender effect was found, with women showing higher endorsement of multiculturalism, but no age effect. The support for multiculturalism also rises in line with the educational level achieved. Direct culture contact, operationalized in terms of composition of circle of friends, is also conducive for endorsement of multiculturalism. Results are discussed within an acculturation context where majority – minority relations become increasingly fluid and cultural diversity is positively evaluated and accepted as a norm but specific behavioural aspects of living together have yet to be aligned.