NationStates Jolt Archive

What is the situation for minorities in your nation, be they ethnic minorities, religious ones, immigrant or Indigenous or anything else? How do immigration laws work? Are there Indigenous minorities?

To what degree are minorities urged, or compelled, to integrate or to assimilate? Do minorities have specific rights? Specific obligations? Are they the same for all minorities? To what degree is there prejudice, be it in terms of common behaviour or even institutionalised? Does your nation define itself as multicultural, and if so what does it mean by "multicultural"?

OOC: I'll reply to this myself later; I haven't got time just yet, but I just wanted to get it started...

Semi-IC

Guffingfordian minorities are, to put is short and sweet, spat at and discriminated at every single occasion. Whenever a boss or a 'true' native feels like it, he or she kicks or beats a lone foreigner. The policy of the Guffingfordian administration has strong political ties with Apartheid South Africa, and much of the laws and civil codes of conduct have been taken directly from the racist laws from said nation and the 1950's United States.

Although Guffingford is an overall racist country, the nation is surprisingly multicultural. European cultures that is, but still. French, Dutch, German, British, Spanish and Italian are the predominant cultures you'll find, and some scattered Norse dwellings in the upper north of united German freistaaten, as well as a few Portuguese villages in the North Western Quarter.

Chinese, Indonesians and negroes living in Guffingford live a most unpleasant life, and most of them remained in Guffingford because they couldn't affort a journey to Africa, Europe or America to live in freedom. These former slaves have no right to vote, healthcare or education. Their future prospects are nil, and riots among them aren't a rare occurance. In fact, these riots are growing steadily in force and rage. The City Watch however, have no problems of cutting down these protect marches whether they be peaceful or violent with a sheer amount of violence the deathtoll never goes below fifty. Such news is carefully kept away from the outside world, but rumors about these happenings float around the world for decades.

I've exported all but few of mine. Anyone who isn't catholic (any form of), orthadox or Jew was kicked out of my nation altogether.

Sparked quite and outrage actually! (Well naturaly!:))

How do immigration laws work? Pay for the trip, and once you're in, you're in, for as long as you wish to be. It can be dangerous for baseline humans to enter, though - It's certainly not recommended to enter industrial sectors before acquiring a variety of augments. Mere habitation isn't a serious problem, though, as long as one can pay for healthcare, and if there's one thing that's certain, it's that you need healthcare.

Are there Indigenous minorities? Sort of. There's (small) Drow communities, but those are rarely heard of (They tend to be isolationist), and there's various subgroups within the society which ought to count as 'Minorities', but those are (Usually) in a constant process of emerging and reassimilating. The second major exception would be communities of virii - Specifically, sentients infected with more-or-less sentient virii.

Neko, though physiologically different, and indeed featuring a few distinct cultural habits, are generally not counted asa minority, being too deeply integrated within a variety of subgroups.

To what degree are minorities urged, or compelled, to integrate or to assimilate? Depends on one's point of view. Theoretically, not at all. Practically, there's a fair amount of pressure urging integration/ assimilation, but this pressure is mostly based on the offers the society at large has available (DA's rather hedonistic). One is perfectly free to keep one's ways - It is, however, seen as odd, and fairly impractical.

Do minorities have specific rights? No.

Specific obligations? No.

Are they the same for all minorities? Irrelevant, due to the double-no.

To what degree is there prejudice, be it in terms of common behaviour or even institutionalised? Institutionalised: None and/ or exceedingly rare. Common behaviour is arguable... Given the fair amount of sub-national communities and their on occasion vastly differing worldviews, a fair amount of prejudices exists, and may even be encouraged - by all sides, no less. Nonetheless, the society is also fairly mobile, and it's the individuals' choice to switch its subnational 'allegiance', and this constant flow of individuals through a wide variety of subcultures results in the prejudices being of limited consequence. I.e. Insults are considered harmless, and don't spark actual violence.

Does your nation define itself as multicultural, and if so what does it mean by "multicultural"? Yes and no. It accepts foreign cultures, alright. However, while those are technically free to stay the way they are, it's generally expected that they're assimilated into the mainstream culture (As far as this is possible in a society where a mainstream culture barely exists, apart from a very loose definition of).

And I've no idea whatsoever.

How do immigration laws work? - Entry visas are available from the Liverpool England consulate, or online (printout). Professional athletes competing in an event in Liverpool England are exempt. Nationality is awarded to anyone who passes an entry test.

Are there Indigenous minorities? - No.

To what degree are minorities urged, or compelled, to integrate or to assimilate? - Minorities co-exist alongside everyone else.

Do minorities have specific rights? - Same rights as the majority, but are protected from discrimination, for which one can be jailed up to 48 months.

Specific obligations? - None

Are they the same for all minorities? - Yes.

To what degree is there prejudice, be it in terms of common behaviour or even institutionalised? - Liverpool England has a large minority of non-heterosexuals, and as such, most people just ignore it. Little to none.

Does your nation define itself as multicultural, and if so what does it mean by "multicultural"? - Yes; in the sense that there are at least 20 languages spoken in the nation, four of which (English, German, French, Spanish) are official national languages.

How do immigration laws work? – 3 week holiday visas and 6 month work visas are available but the process of citizenship is more complex. Those on a residential visa must live in the nation for 3 years before taking an assessment test and having their application for citizenship accepted. Once a year in the major cities special ceremonies occur where new citizens take the Oath of the Patriot which binds them to work in the interest of the community and strive to uphold the ideals of the nation; peace, social justice, freedom and equality. At the age of 18 all native-born citizens have to take the same Oath of the Patriot

Are there Indigenous minorities? – No, the population is dominated by the indigenous inhabitants, within this population there are various regional subcategories of identity but no one group is dominated against their consent.

To what degree are minorities urged, or compelled, to integrate or to assimilate? – The government has an official policy of promoting tolerance towards the human communities and on the issues of sexuality, race and gender.

Do minorities have specific rights? - No

Specific obligations? - No

Are they the same for all minorities? - N/A

To what degree is there prejudice, be it in terms of common behaviour or even institutionalised? - Officially the government and the general population are less tolerant of “Constitutional dissent” (pro-capitalists, libertarians, anarchists etc) and there is a strong undercurrent of speciesims directed towards human nations which is linked with a general anxiety about human foreigners, particularly from capitalist states. The government is also devoutly atheist and refuses any co-operation with religious organisations. The concept of “nationalism” in Biotopia is based on the idea that a common concept or ideology can bind people in a way stronger then geography or ethnicity.


Does your nation define itself as multicultural, and if so what does it mean by "multicultural"? – The nation doesn’t define itself as multicultural, first because the population is largely species homogenous and secondly because “culture” is considered as a form of ideology; seeing as all citizens must take the Oath of the Patriot there is no other culture. This sounds a little totalitarian but beneath the surface the nation is “socially diverse” reflecting the variety of lifestyles that citizens live.

How do immigration laws work? - Travel Visas can be obtained at any Vaadian Embassy abroad, or any 'refugee' from a state at war or an oppressive regime can claim 'refugee' status. Immigrants MUST (as all citizens) complete a compulsory year of service in the Velite Guard, if they do so, citizenship is granted within three to five years of steady employment and no criminal record.

Immigrants that have served three or more years in the Foreign Guard are automatically granted citizenship if they request it.

Are there Indigenous minorities? - Yes.

To what degree are minorities urged, or compelled, to integrate or to assimilate? - As much as they are comfortable with. Minorities may engage in any cultural activity that is not against the law in the Free Republic.

Do minorities have specific rights? - No. All Vaadian citizens have the same rights. Non-citizens are extended 'courtesies'

Specific obligations? - No. All Vaadian citizens have the same compulsory military service obligations.


To what degree is there prejudice, be it in terms of common behaviour or even institutionalised? - Native Vaadians generally ignore 'cultural' differences and the government makes no official census or record keeping of specific minorities. The only prejudice is against those that tout one culture or ethnicity as superior to others.

Does your nation define itself as multicultural, and if so what does it mean by "multicultural"?- All citizens of the Free Republic are 'Vaadian' , cultural, racial and ethnic qualifiers are irrelevant to Vaadian society and to what it is to be Vaadian.

OOC: Replying to my own thread at last. . .


IC:
Almost anyone may enter for up to three months on a tourist visa, and for up to eighteen months on a student or work visa. People who wish to obtain Ariddian citizenship may do so in several ways. Immigrants from non-democratic and/or capitalist nations can claim refugee status, which facilitates procedures. Likewise for immigrants from war-torn countries. Immigrants from stable, democratic, non-capitalist countries will usually have to wait longer, but on the whole Ariddia is very inclusive and welcoming.

There is an Indigenous minority: the Wymgani. They’re thought to make up about 30% of the population, though there are no official statistics.

Minorities are certainly not urged to assimilate, and Wymgani are not urged to "integrate" either. Immigrants are expected to integrate only in so far as they’re required to respect Ariddian law, and the basic social values reflected in those laws. Ariddian society operates on a number of rather unusual principles, and it’s expected that immigrants move to Ariddia precisely because they adhere to those principles. Other than that, immigrants are free to maintain their own cultural values, and express their culture and beliefs freely.

Wymgani are free to an even greater extent to maintain their own culture and cultural practices, and the government does everything to facilitate it for them, on the grounds that they are the Indigenous people of Ariddia and should not be made to feel like “foreigners in their own country”. Most institutions – educational institutions foremost among them – are tailored to meet the needs of Wymgani people.

Prejudice is very rare, mainly because Ariddia is so multi-cultural and multi-ethnic; there is no ‘majority’ ethnic group. Multiculturalism in Ariddia is usually seen to imply the rights of different groups to maintain and express their own culture, within the framework of Ariddian society and values supposedly shared by all Ariddians. Since Ariddia is such a peculiar society, most Ariddians do feel a common sense of national identity and common values. Those values are inspired, in part, from Wymgani ones, and include a sense of social solidarity and environmental responsibility.

Immigration laws: The RNCI: Tourism of the RNCI is highly encouraged, and there is minimal red tape in the way of tourists visiting the Islands. The only requirements are that tourists must be disease free and must be clear of any criminal records. Immigration on the other hand is another story. Persons willing to immigrate to the RNCI must have all the tourist requirements and must be fluent in the english language, have skills and work/educational experience that will benefit the RNCI, and they must have birth and citizenship from an allied or neutral country. Refugees must be quarantined, go through rigourous background and medical examinations, and must remain within the confines of refugee camps until they are either accepted as citizens as the RNCI, find another country to immigrate to, or if they wish to return to their home country. Refugees may return to their homeland whenever they wish.



Various minorities in the RNCI:

Nifers: Feminine human-like animals with pointy ears. While the wild variety don't appear to be smart, studies show that they can learn fast and easily. In fact they can learn so easily that their minds can be manipulated liberally -- and possibly be easily trained to be used for slave labor if nessicary. Wild Nifers are hunted annually during the great RNCI Nifer hunt. Nifers are probably the closest thing to an indigenous race.

Religious groups: Religion has only recently been decriminalized in designated areas of the RNCI, therefore practitioners of religion are a minority. The most common religion in the RNCI is Islam, followed by buddhism, and then various Christian and misc. religions.

Other nationalities: The RNCI has an oriental community throughout the country, and a small city called Karovski is perdominantly made up of immigrants from Russia and various Soviet republics. The city was named after Mikoli Karvoski, allegedly the first immigrant to enter the RNCI since it was established as a country.

Degree of Conformity:

As mentioned, citizens must be able to speak english fluently. Practitioners of religion must live in colonies designated to their religion on Central Island. Activities from foreign cultures may be practiced so long as they don't conflict with the laws of the RNCI.

Minorities and immigrants are entitled to all constitutional rights as citizens of the RNCI, and however must follow all RNCI laws.