Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights
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Author Description
The Increasingly Multicultural Fabric Of Modern Societies Has Given Rise To Many New Issues And Conflicts, As Ethnic And National Minorities Demand Recognition And Support For Their Cultural Identity. This Book Presents A New Conception Of The Rights And Status Of Minority Cultures. It Argues That Certain Sorts Of `collective Rights' For Minority Cultures Are Consistent With Liberal Democratic Principles, And That Standard Liberal Objections To Recognizing Such Rights On Grounds Of Individual Freedom, Social Justice, And National Unity, Can Be Answered. However, Professor Kymlicka Emphasises That No Single Formula Can Be Applied To All Groups And That The Needs And Aspirations Of Immigrants Are Very Different From Those Of Indigenous Peoples And National Minorities. The Book Discusses Issues Such As Language Rights, Group Representation, Religious Education, Federalism, And Secession - Issues Which Are Central To Understanding Multicultural Politics, But Which Have Been Surprisingly Neglected In Contemporary Liberal Theory.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates whether the recognition of collective rights for minority cultures can be reconciled with the core tenets of liberal democratic principles. Will Kymlicka, a prominent political philosopher, utilizes a framework of liberal egalitarianism to argue that individual freedom and cultural membership are intrinsically linked. He contends that standard liberal objections regarding national unity and social justice are often based on misconceptions about the nature of minority rights. By distinguishing between different types of minority groups, Kymlicka provides a nuanced defense of group-specific rights within a liberal state.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A theoretical framework for distinguishing between immigrants, indigenous peoples, and national minorities
- Analysis of specific policy areas including language rights, religious education, and federalism
- Evaluation of the compatibility between individual autonomy and collective cultural identity
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a universal policy formula applicable to every global cultural conflict
- It focuses primarily on Western liberal democratic contexts rather than non-liberal political systems
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and political theorists widely regard this work as a foundational text in the study of multiculturalism and liberal theory. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in political philosophy to fully grasp the author's arguments.
Page Count:
290
Publication Date:
1996-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191520977
ISBN-13:
9780191520976
Sociology
Human rights
Liberalism
Political Philosophy
