battlegrounds of multiculturalism (cwa) Flashcards
essay content
agreement in theme of culture and identity
topic sentence: Culture is important for human identity; provides the prism through which theexternal world becomes meaningful
examples: LM: everytime you make a choice it is in a cultural context (ie of historical oppression), and so to properly make choices and be autonomous, we need culture, it provides a meaningful ‘context of choice’ (Kymlicka )
PM: Humans are culturally embedded (communitarianism)- culture has “profoundly shaped” our identities (Parekh )
CM: “Culture matters because people matter and culture matters to people. (Appiah)
disagreement in theme of culture and identityy
topic sentence: The nature of cultural identity and the extent to which culture should be recognised.
examples:
LM: Cultural identity is seen as aprivate matter, whichis not relevantto the state as long asyour civic consciousness issecure.
PM: For the sake of one’s identity, culture needs to be fully recognised; any rejection of culture can leave a “grievous wound” (Taylor )
CM: Cultures are malleable, with people able to create new hybrid identities through cultural mixing.
Cons: Humans are psychologically imperfect, and require a common cultural identity for stability.
agreement in theme of cultural exchange
topic sentence: Most multiculturalists emphasise the value of cross-cultural dialogue as promoting inclusivity
examples:
Cultural dialogue fosters understanding between cultural groups, promoting social cohesion.
This is achieved by:
The challenging of stereotypes
The opportunity to resolve conflict (Modood).
disagreement in theme of cultural exchange
topic sentence: How cultures may be shared
examples: LM: Cultural sharing needs to take place within the limits of a liberal democracy. Liberalism is a shared social value system- link to shallow diversity.
PM: Linked to deep diversity, cultures should be understood on their own terms(Parekh).
Particularism- encourages cultural purity; suspicion towards engagement with the dominant culture, due to its corrupting influence. “Salad bowl” multiculturalism is promoted.
CM: In creating a melting pot society, individuals should pick and choose cultural elements. Culture is fluid, responding to changing social circumstances.
agreement in area of minority rights
topic sentence: We need to embrace minority rights in order to promote integration and uphold a politics of recognition.
examples: Group differentiated rights are required for minority cultures to be appropriately recognised, with formal equality being insufficient:
Self-government rights- rights that ensure representation of indigenous peoples
Polyethnic rights- rights that help ethnic and religious minorities self-assert within other cultures.
Representation rights- positive discrimination.(Kymlicka )
disagreement in area of minority rights
topic sentence: The extent and the nature of minority rights’ value
examples; LM: Minority rights exist to preserve individual autonomy so must fit within a liberal framework. Rights are group differentiated and cannot extend to protect illiberal practices.
PM: Minority rights are a fundamental component of a multicultural society and should be extended as widely as possible.
Particularists: MR are vital for redressing injustice and responding to problems caused by colonisation.
CM: MR are instrumentally useful, though cosmopolitan integration will ultimately dissolve cultural groups.
Cons: Minority rights promote division, are inherently unfair (positive discrimination); undermine common culture.
agreement in theme of modes of integration and assimilation
topic sentence: There is a general hostility amongst multiculturalists towards assimilation.
examples: LM: Assimilation perpetuates inequality and can deny minority groups the freedom to express their identities- think racial discrimination through unilingual policy (Kymlicka)
PM: Assimilation ignores the importance of culture; breeds alienation and tension. NB- assimilation is only permissible by choice (Modood).
CM: Assimilation ignores inclusivity and undermines social harmony. It removes the value of cultural exchange.
disagreement in theme of modes of integration and assimilation
topic sentence: Appropriate ways in which minority cultures can integrate
examples: LM: Advances individualist integration, where a shared civic culture of liberal values exists in the public realm, with personal cultural elements practiced privately (creating hyphenated cultures).
PM: Successful integration comes from preserving cultural difference and recognising no one culture as superior (Parekh). This means pluralising the national story (Modood)- for particularists, this would encourage “cultural purity”- something liberals denounce as “plural monoculturalism”.
CM: Cultural mixing is the approach to be celebrated, creating hybridised identities- this would be denounced by pluralists as a failure to recognise difference.
Cons: Assimilation is the only way to preserve a common identity.
agreement in theme of recognition
topic sentence: There is a responsibility for the dominant culture to recognise minority cultures.
examples: LM: The state should actively recognise minority cultures through positive discrimination and group differentiated right- this resolves tensions between groups (Kymlicka)
PM: Recognition is a “vital human need”, with misrecognition leading to a “crippling self hatred” (Taylor ).
disagreement in theme of recognition
topic sentence: Reasons why minority cultures need to be recognised.
examles; LM: Recognition creates a society that ensures autonomy and individualism, so cultures can only be recognised to the extent that these values are upheld (Kymlicka)
PM: Recognition is required as culture informs personal identity- communitarianism (Taylor, Parekh ). Multiculturalism needs to extend beyond “Steel bands, saris and samosas” (Modood )
CM: “Mongrelisation” (Waldron) undermines the distinct cultural recognition favoured by LMs and PM.
Cons: Recognition is dangerous; can undermine social cohesion by promoting values that oppose the national order.
agreement in area of diversity and tolerance
topic sentence: Diversity is of real value to multiculturalists; important to culture and identity.
example:
LM: Valuable because it adds vibrancy to society (marketplace of ideas) and ensures individual autonomy by providing a “context of choice” (Kymlicka)- leads to a sense of belonging.
PM: valuable because it helps cross cultural understanding (Modood, Parekh) and facilitates recognition (Taylor )- leads to a sense of belonging.
CM: valuable because it facilitates cultural exchange and sets the platform for a global citizenship.
disagreement in area of diversity and tolerance
topic sentence; they disagree in how far diversity should extend/be tolerated
examples: LM: Proponents of shallow diversity- cultural practices may only be tolerated within a liberal framework. Individual rights take priority (Kymlicka)- e.g. FGM/ forced marriage a hard no. Diversity facilitates liberalism.
PM: Proponents of deep diversity- there is a multiple sense of belonging. Rooted in value pluralism (Berlin) or (Parekh’s) suspicion of liberal universalism- no culture is complete. Diversity is an end in itself.
CM: Diversity is a transitional state towards a global community- it is not an end in itself; instead one should look to build a “melting pot” society.
thematic paragraphs to use for essay
diversity and tolerance
recognition
minority rights
culture and identity
modes of integration (including attitudes towards assimilation)
cultural exchange
