Identity and Belonging

Canadian society is rapidly evolving. By 2017, persons belonging to a visible minority group will comprise 20 percent of the population. In Canada's major cities, the proportion of persons classified as visible minority is expected to exceed 50 percent. Canada is a country that is not very sure of its own identity. Many of our citizensdo not know where they fit in the national fabric.Asethno-racial diversity increases, so will our uncertaintyof our identity and role in the development of our nation. While Canada has always beenculturally diverse, the continuing ethno-racial diversification will exercise aprofoundinfluence on Canadian culture, as well ason Canadian political and social institutions. As the ethno-racial composition becomes more complex, critical understandings of race, ethnicity, identity, and belonging are increasingly important goals for social justice, fairness, and inclusion. Provocative and ground-breaking, Identity and Belonging addresses these concerns, poses someessential questions about the nature of race and ethnicity, how they differ from one another, and how they mightdiffer from other markers of identity, such asclass, gender, or nationality.