Multiculturalism

As an idea focused on the way in which societies and nation-state should respond to cultural and religious differences. Protecting rights and privileges of disadvantaged groups- minorities, women, disabled etc.

Dimensions

A social fact, and idea, a policy, and a theory
Pillars of modern political concepts- justice, rights, equality, liberty, democracy- are liberal political theory and are culture blind.
Liberal ideologies- autonomy, rights, liberty, equality, dignity, tolerance and justice are individualistic.
Multiculturism pose challenge to liberal political theory- how to protect the validity of these universal concepts against varied conceptions of these terms in different cultures?
Liberal democratic government face the challenge- how to accommodate cultural and ethnic claims within the overall framework of rights and justice.

Thin and Thick Multiculturalism

Thin	Thick
All diverse culture in a nation-state guided by liberal beliefs	Deep diversity- cultural groups have very different value systems and beliefs
Only weak disagreements over values and belief system	Issue of cultural relativism
Cultural groups compete only for diverse interests or objectives	Pragmatic compromise to achieve peaceful co-existence
French and English, speaking people in Canada	Religious minorities in India

Thinker

Will Kymlicka, 1962, Canadian, "Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights"
Charles Taylor, 1931, Canadian, "The Politics of Recognition"
Brain Barry, "Culture & Equality: An Egalitarian Critique of Multiculturalism"
Bhikhu Parekh, 1953, "Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political Theory"

Rights and Recognition

Cultural Rights

Group differentiated rights
Individual and Group Rights

Dignity and Recognition

Equal status and dignity to diverse cultural arts, practices, beliefs and value system.
Recognizing other cultures as equally valuable
Adequate space to diverse culture in school textbooks, popular media, public discourse
Evolving a common or composite culture through dialogue among equal cultures (Bhikhu Parekh)

Rights to Cultural Minorities

Based on Will Kymlicka's theory

3 kinds of Group Differentiated Rights

Right to self-government and representation
Right to protect language, customs, symbols, value systems, and way of life. Right to exemption from common law. Right to get fund and establish minority educational institutes. Right to preferential treatment in admissions, education policies.
Right to equal status and recognition. Adequate space to diverse culture in school textbooks, popular media, public discourse. Evolving a common or composite culture through dialogue among equal cultures.

Justification

State must treat each citizen with equal respect and dignity
For developing self-respect, dignity, and autonomy, one requires a stable cultural structure or framework
Cultural or group rights are must to protect the cultural structure

Challenges

May interfere with individual's right to equality, liberty, and autonomy
May pose threat to national integration, territorial soverignty