Comparing national and multicultural models in the context of collective us: The case of Canada-Quebec

The purpose of this study is to compare the factors shaping collective "us" in classical national model and those in multicultural model. As a case of the study, the process occurred in Canada-Quebec is chosen simply because it witnessed both policy, traditional national model and multicultural model. More specifically, the turning point that makes Canada-Quebec best example for comparative method happened in 1960s. While Canada was ruled in classical national model of the centered power until 1960s, it was shaped with multicultural model since 1960s. In this context, the study, mainly, analyses the evolution of collective "us" in Quebec by comparatively examining the period before and after 1960s. Additionally, the study mainly focuses on the factors and their roles in shaping "collective us" of multicultural model which has raised with the emergence of postmodernism. In this context, by using comparative method, the study interests in the relevant questions such as "which factors help to build collective us in classical national model?", "which factors plays significant role in multicultural model in shaping collective us?", "whether policy carried out by Canadian governments, which is the first country embracing and legitimizing multicultural model could established collective us in Canadian society?". In this framework, the study, theoretically, concludes that while national model builds collective us on social similarities; multiculturalist model, which interrogates nationalist method, established collective us by insisting on differences in society. In retrospect, it can be argued that although multiculturalism was a popular model until 1990s, the classical national model has replaced its position with the globally re-emergence of nationalism. As to Canadian case, Canadian governments has carried out multiculturalist policy which overestimates cultural aspects of the matter rather than political and juridical. Finally, the study deduces that multicultural model in Canada failed to established collective us linking Quebecois to Canadian because the policy of Canadian state is not quite enough to satisfy Quebecois demands, which shows national model's effects in Canadian society. Keywords: Collective Us, Traditional National Model, Multiculturalism, Canada, Quebec