Glossary

This glossary has been written to encourage debate and discussion.

It has been written from a Scottish perspective. This means terms used within Scotland may not have equivalent meaning when transferred to another part of the world. It has also to be remembered that terms are evolving and developing all the time and what is offered here reflects the discussions as it stands when this was written in June 2004.

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Glossary of terms
Mainstreaming	Taking action to ensure that all forms of equality and human rights are routinely part of normal practice. For example, mainstreaming equality and human rights when developing policy or practice. In education, the term 'mainstreaming' is often associated with integration of special needs pupils into mainstream schools however the definition and practice is much wider than this. To find out more about mainstreaming, visit http://www.scotland.gov.uk/mainstreamingequality on the Scottish Government site.
Monotheism	Along with polytheism, monotheism is one of the best known theistic systems. Monotheism is founded upon the idea that there is only one God, typically regarded as the creator of all reality. This God is believed to be totally self-sufficient and without any dependency upon any other being.
Multi-faith	An attempt to initiate dialogue, cooperation and understanding among individuals of many different faiths. It is occasionally used as a synonym for "inter-faith."
Multicultural	This term is in widespread use. Rather than referring literally to the existence of a plurality of cultures in a given situation, it tends in Britain to be reduced to a colour analysis that indicates the presence of a mixture of black and white components where the white components are seen as dominant. The term can also be used to develop meaning for sectors, for example, 'multicultural education'.
Myth	A myth is any traditional story, usually of ancient origin, which attempts to explain natural events, customs, or social ideals. Myths typically involve supernatural beings or powers, cultural heroes, and similar characters. To call a story a myth is regarded by most people as the same as calling it false, but that is not really true. A myth may or may not be accurate. What is important is that a myth is attempting to communicate more fundamental cultural or psychological facts.