Theories of Multiculturalism

Theories of Multiculturalism by George Crowder delves into one of the most controversial ideas in contemporary politics—multiculturalism. In this book, Crowder examines the leading responses to multiculturalism, presenting both supportive and critical perspectives found in the work of recent political theorists.

The book offers a clear and accessible introduction to an array of thinkers who have engaged with multiculturalism. These include Will Kymlicka, whose account of cultural rights is seminal; liberal critics of multiculturalism such as Brian Barry and Susan Okin; and multiculturalist critics of liberalism including Charles Taylor, Iris Marion Young, James Tully, and Bhikhu Parekh. Additionally, the discussion encompasses a wide range of other perspectives on multiculturalism—libertarian, feminist, democratic, nationalist, cosmopolitan—and rival accounts of Islamic and Confucian political culture.

While providing a balanced assessment of these theories, Crowder also advocates a distinctive liberal-pluralist approach to multiculturalism. This approach combines a liberal framework emphasising the importance of personal autonomy with the value pluralism of thinkers such as Isaiah Berlin.

This clear and comprehensive account is an indispensable textbook for students in politics, sociology, and political and social theory.