What does "cultural assimilation" refer to?

Cultural assimilation refers to the process whereby individuals or groups from a minority culture adopt the customs, values, and practices of a dominant culture, often leading to a diminishment of the minority group's unique cultural identity. This phenomenon typically involves integrating into the dominant society to the point where the distinct cultural traits of the minority become less visible or even disappear entirely.

In contrast, preserving unique cultural identities emphasizes maintaining the distinct traditions and practices of different cultural groups, which is not the aim of assimilation. Similarly, developing multicultural environments focuses on the coexistence of diverse cultures rather than the absorption or blending of one into another, and blending different musical styles does not address the broader implications and social processes involved in cultural assimilation. Thus, the essence of cultural assimilation lies in its focus on the convergence toward a dominant culture, often at the expense of minority cultural identities.