Which term describes the policy of forcing or encouraging a group to adopt the dominant society's institutions and customs?

• A. Self-determination
• B. Assimilation
• C. Cultural pluralism
• D. Quebecois

Answer: (B)

Assimilation is the policy of forcing or encouraging a group to adopt the dominant society's institutions and customs. It describes pushing minority groups to abandon their own language, traditions, and ways of life in favor of the mainstream culture’s norms, education, laws, and social practices. This idea is centered on blending into the dominant culture, sometimes at the expense of the group’s own identity. Self-determination is about a group choosing its own political status and governance, not about adopting another culture’s practices. Cultural pluralism supports preserving and valuing multiple cultures within one society, rather than pushing everyone to become the same. Quebecois refers to a language-based and regional group in Canada, not a policy concept.