Critiques of multiculturalism

Question 1

Why might liberals critique multiculturalism?

Answer 1

• They see it as a threat posed to individualism due to assumptions that personal identity is embedded in a group or social identity
• Multiculturalism looks like another form of collectivism

Question 2

How do conservatives critique multiculturalism?

Answer 2

• They see it as inherently flawed as humans are naturally drawn to others that are similar to themselves
• Shared values and a common culture are a necessary precondition for a stable and successful society

Question 3

What do conservatives advocate for instead of multiculturalism?

Answer 3

• Assimilation, to ensure that minority ethnic communities are absorbed into a larger ‘national’ culture

Question 4

What fears have feminists and LGBTQ+ communities expressed about multiculturalism?

Answer 4

• They argue that minority rights and politics of recognition serve to preserve and legitimise patriarchal and traditional beliefs that disadvantage women and gay people

Question 5

How do social reformers critique multiculturalism?

Answer 5

• They think that multiculturalism fails to address issues of class inequality
• The main issues for minority groups are not a lack of cultural recognition but a lack of economic power and social status

Question 6

What has been the conservative response to multiculturalism?

Answer 6

• Restrictions on immigration (particularly on parts of the world whose culture is different from the ‘host’ society)
• Pressures for assimilation
• Far right: repatriation of immigrants to their country of origin