Analytical Essay On UK's Ethnic And Religious Diversity.

Write an analytical report on one of the topics outlined below.

Drawing on the conceptual frameworks discussed, explore one of the following topics:

• Map the ethnic and religious diversity of your country and then map the diversity of media channels available.  Who speaks and who is silent? Why?
  
  
• Identify the top 5 or 6 global media companies and map out their pattern of ownership and corporate linkage.  What are the political and cultural implications of this international trend?
  
  
• Profile and discuss one communications sector of a country of your choice.  This cannot be the US or the UK.  For instance, this could be the film industry of France or Germany; the newspaper industry of Japan or Spain; the music industry of Sweden or Canada: the choice is yours.  You should comment on the ownership of this industry and any links to transnational conglomerates.
  
  
• Compare the policies on access to the internet of either Spain and a country from Africa or the US and India or profile the bicycle internet access project for women in India.  Why is this project and training important for women in rural India.?

Diversity in the Ethnic and Religious Cultures in UK

Diversity of the cultures and the heritage has taken forms to bring about changes in the systems. The differences in the culture and the heritage of the people have brought about frivolous changes in the economic and the social backdrop as it has brought improvements. The specific cultures and the heritage intermingled in order to form a dynamic and rich culture. The cultural tradition of the community has helped in evolving new traditions intermingling with the other traditions.

Since the Anglo-Saxon period the nations have witnessed varied changes in the language and the culture of the English people relating to which their culture evolved drastically. The Danish invasion and the other invasions that took place have significant contributions to make on the religion and the cultures of the Englishmen (Leach 2014). The different aspects of the changes are based on the specific requirements of the tribes to evolve and thereby transcend barriers to develop into a stronger ethnic background. In the present day, the evaluation of the cultures and the diversity has affected the growth of the dynamic functions that are being undertaken by the tribes.

The purpose of this discussion is to hold the view of the changes in the culture and the heritage of the people based on the diversity of the same. The religious and ethnic evolution that is being portrayed helps in the understanding of the progress made by the people based on the intermingling of their cultures (Hassan, Rousseau and Moreau 2013). The report will help in the understanding of the different religious and the ethnic cultures prevalent in UK and the diversity of the media channels that are being used in the nation.

The diversity in the communities based on the culture and the heritage of the inhabitants have enhanced the conditions of the growth in the economy and the social and political backgrounds. According to the Census report, England and the Wales have become more diversified relating to the ethnic groups since 1991 (Dahlberg, Edmark and Lundqvist 2012). The huge immigration that was undertaken and the deportments have caused the diversification in the nation. The groups have taken forms in order to enhance the cultural and the religious diversity of the region. According to the same report, some 87% of the UK’s population constituted of the UK born people, which accounts to some 48.6 million. On the other hand, some 13% of the people came into the nation from the other regions of the world, which is approximately 7.5 million (Wickes et al. 2014). The total non-UK populations are being further divided in the segments based on their individual nationality. It helps in determining the cultures that they brought into UK along with them (Refer to Appendice 1and 2). Around one third of the UK’s diversified population was born in Europe, some one third of the population arrived from Asia and the Middle East borders and a fifth from Africa. There were people from Antarctica and Oceania too which accounted to the one tenth of the non-UK born population of the nation (Dhoest et al. 2012). The diversity that was being entertained by the nation helped in enriching the ethnic culture of the nation. On the other hand, it brought in different traditions in the nation and helped in enriching the culture.  

Diversity in the Media Channels

 The diversity in the religion in the nation accounts to the different people immigrating to the nation and bringing in their traditional culture and their religion along with them.  According to the census, the non-UK born population constituted mainly Christians, which accounted to some 48% (BELISO?DE JESUS 2013). On the other hand, the UK born population constituted of 61% Christians. Muslims were the second largest population that immigrated to the nation (Ahmad and Sardar 2012). The population of the nation primarily constituted of the Christians and the Muslims (Refer to Appendice 3). The diversity brought in the traditions and the rituals into the nation and thereby enriched the culture of the nation. It has also helped in maintaining liberalism in the nation based on the immigration of the people from different religions. It brought in new concepts and perceptions in order to perceive the values that are being taught by a religion.

 The diversity in the media channels is again another concern that the nation faces relating to the discrimination. Discrimination is based on the diversity of the minority groups, the disabled people and the BAME (Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic) or LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender). It has affected the growth of the media in the respective fields of study. The on-screen diversity of the ethnic minorities accounts to 13.4% which is being recorded in the census of 2011 (McGonagle 2012). On the other hand, the disabled people represented 2.5% of the television industry (Refer to Appendice 4). The CDN (Creative Diversity Networks) has enumerated the diversity in the religions in the televisions and the media industry of UK and Wales. The Equality Act 2010 clearly focuses on avoiding the discrimination in the media functions of the nation due to its higher rate of diversity (Parsons 2012). A diversified force helps in bringing out new and natural outcomes. It helps in making the considerable progress. BBC (British Broadcasting Channel) has undertaken steps in order to promote diversity in their channels in order to facilitate the improvements through the cross-cultural knowledge.

The changing face of the media has helped in bringing out reports on the diversity of the nation. The discrimination that is being faced by the minor groups is being upheld by the proper media functions. However, the minority groups are dominated and submerged by the majority groups of exemplified traditions. The functions of the media channels mostly contribute to the issues faced by the minority groups. The ethnic and the religious minority groups face the issue based on their representation and the limited exposure that they receives for communicating their needs (Lindgreen and Hingley 2012). The social structure is affected through the unjustified functions of the media. The broadcasts that are being undertaken by the media speak for the people mostly. However, there are cases where the basic requirements of the people are not being considered by the media as a profitable scoop. It brings in dissatisfaction, but then again the people are compelled to stay silent for the discrimination that is being extended to the people.  Disregarding the cultural and the ethnic diversities prevalent in the nation and thereby discriminating on the preferences might bring in injustice. Therefore, the Communication Act 2003 and the Equality Act 2010 were undertaken in order to provide equal opportunities to the diversified groups (Ahlerup and Olsson 2012).  On the other hand, there are equal employment opportunities too in the media, which helps in enhancing the functions of the media largely. The functions of the media greatly affect the livelihood of the people and the policies that are being framed by the departments helps in determining the absorption of the diversified groups in the employment.  The functions of the media also affect the growth of the minority groups through their participation in the social and the political issues (Brown, Taylor and Chatters 2015).

References 

Ahlerup, P. and Olsson, O., 2012. The roots of ethnic diversity. Journal of Economic Growth, 17(2), pp.71-102.

Ahmad, W. and Sardar, Z. eds., 2012. Muslims in Britain: Making social and political space. Routledge.

BELISO?DE JESUS, A.I.S.H.A., 2013. Religious cosmopolitanisms: Media, transnational Santería, and travel between the United States and Cuba. American Ethnologist, 40(4), pp.704-720.

Brown, R.K., Taylor, R.J. and Chatters, L.M., 2015. Race/ethnic and social-demographic correlates of religious non-involvement in America: Findings from three national surveys. Journal of Black Studies, 46(4), pp.335-362.

Dahlberg, M., Edmark, K. and Lundqvist, H., 2012. Ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution. Journal of Political Economy, 120(1), pp.41-76.

Dhoest, A., Cola, M., Brusa, M.M. and Lemish, D., 2012. Studying ethnic minorities' media uses: comparative conceptual and methodological reflections. Communication, Culture & Critique, 5(3), pp.372-391.

Hassan, G., Rousseau, C. and Moreau, N., 2013. Ethnic and religious discrimination: The multifaceted role of religiosity and collective self-esteem. Transcultural psychiatry, 50(4), pp.475-492.

Leach, M.M., 2014. Cultural diversity and suicide: Ethnic, religious, gender, and sexual orientation perspectives. Routledge.

Lindgreen, A. and Hingley, M.K. eds., 2012. The new cultures of food: marketing opportunities from ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. Gower Publishing, Ltd..

McGonagle, T., 2012. The promotion of cultural diversity via new media technologies: an introduction to the challenges of operationalisation.

Parsons, G. ed., 2012. The Growth of Religious Diversity-Vol 1: Britain from 1945 Volume 1: Traditions. Routledge.

Wickes, R., Zahnow, R., White, G. and Mazerolle, L., 2014. Ethnic diversity and its impact on community social cohesion and neighborly exchange. Journal of Urban Affairs, 36(1), pp.51-78.