Pluralist multiculturalism

Question 1

What is the theory of value pluralism?

Answer 1

• Theory that there is no single, overriding conception of the ‘good life’ but rather a number of competing and equally legitimate conceptions

Question 2

How does the concept of value pluralism start to conflict with liberalism?

Answer 2

• Liberal beliefs (democracy, tolerance, personal freedom) have no greater moral authority than illiberal beliefs
• Once liberalism accepts moral pluralism, it is therefore difficult to contain it within a liberal framework

Question 3

What did John Gray say about pluralism?

Answer 3

• He stated that pluralism implies a ‘post-liberal’ stance

Question 4

How do pluralist multiculturalists link human nature and culture?

Answer 4

• They say that humans are culturally constituted - their attitudes, behaviours and ways of life are shaped but the groups to which they belong
• Cultural diversity, is at heart, a reflection of the interplay between human nature and culture

Question 5

What do pluralist multiculturalists see as the basis for politics of recognition? Which key thinker is it associated with?

Answer 5

• They recognise the complexity of human nature, and the fact that culture expresses what it means to be human (specifically Bhikhu Parekh said this)

Question 6

How do pluralist multiculturalists go beyond liberal multiculturalists in terms of their views on human nature?

Answer 6

• They go beyond liberal multiculturalism as they stress that western liberalism gives an expression to only certain aspect of human nature

Question 7

How do particularist multiculturalists diss western culture?

Answer 7

• Western culture has a corrupt and corrupting nature
• It is tainted by the inheritance of colonialism and racialism, as well as the ‘polluting’ ideas of permissiveness and materialism

Question 8

How do particularists multiculturalists view cultural diversity?

Answer 8

• Cultural diversity takes places within a context of unequal power, in which certain groups have enjoyed privileges that have been denied to other groups
• Therefore cultural distinctiveness amounts to political resistance, a refusal to succumb to repression or corruption

Question 9

What is ‘plural monoculturalism’ and how can arise?

Answer 9

• An emphasis is on cultural ‘purity’ may extend to an unwillingness to engage in cultural exchange
• This raises questions on the prospects of civic cohesion: diversity may be stressed at the expense of unity
• Amartya Sen said this

Question 10

What did Bhikhu Parekh reject (pluralist)?

Answer 10

• He rejects universalist liberalism in favour of communitarianism, the idea that an individuals identity is embedded in their culture

Question 11

How did Bhikhu Parekh argue common citizenship could form?

Answer 11

• Through cross cultural dialogue

Question 12

What did Bhikhu Parekh think the relation between diversity and cohesion was?

Answer 12

• He thought diversity underpinned cohesion rather than undermine it

Question 13

Which concept in pluralist multiculturalism did Isaiah Berlin create?

Answer 13

• The notion of ‘value pluralism’, that espousing a dominant set of values is no longer compatible with liberalism

Question 14

What was Isaiah Berlin’s idea of ‘post liberalism’?

Answer 14

• We cannot be sure that our values are superior values so we should allow for competing sets of values (this is post liberalism)

Question 15

What was Isaiah Berlin view of shallow/deep diversity?

Answer 15

• We need to go beyond shallow diversity into deep diversity
• Underpinned pluralist multiculturalism
• To be truly liberal a society must see the necessity of pluralism

Question 16

Why is Isaiah Berlin still considered a liberal?

Answer 16

• He believed that only within a society that respects individual liberties can value pluralism be contained