Challenges to multiculturalism

There are two primary objections to multiculturalism. One is that multiculturalism privileges the good of certain groups over the common good, thereby potentially eroding the common good in favour of a minority interest. National unity could become impossible if people see themselves as members of ethnic or racial groups rather than as citizens of a common country. The second is that multiculturalism undermines the notion of equal individual rights, thereby weakening the political value of equal treatment. Equal individual rights could be set aside or deprecated in favour of rights that are possessed by the group.

Multiculturalism raises other questions. There is the question of which cultures will be recognized. Some theorists have worried that multiculturalism can lead to a competition between cultural groups all vying for recognition and that this will further reinforce the dominance of the dominant culture. Such competition could even lead to a reaction in which the dominant culture sees itself as a beleaguered group in need of recognition and protection. Further, the focus on cultural group identity may reduce the capacity for coalitional political movements that might develop across differences. Some Marxist and feminist theorists have expressed worry about the dilution of other important differences shared by members of a society that do not necessarily entail a shared culture, such as class and sex, and the resulting neglect of policies that would minimize economic and gender inequalities. A related concern is that actions that celebrate cultural pluralism would be taken because of their popularity but that actions that redress past discrimination would not be taken because of their threat to the dominant group’s status.

Multicultural politics

Multiculturalism is closely associated with identity politics, or political and social movements that have group identity as the basis of their formation and the focus of their political action. Those movements attempt to further the interests of their group members and force issues important to their group members into the public sphere. However, in contrast to multiculturalism, identity politics is based on the shared identity of participants rather than on a specifically shared culture. However, both identity politics and multiculturalism often have in common the demand for recognition and redress for past inequities.

Multiculturalism raises important questions for citizens, public administrators, and political leaders about balancing recognition for groups with the interests of the entire society. By asking for recognition of and respect for cultural differences, multiculturalism provides one possible response to the question of how to increase the participation of previously oppressed groups.