TY - JOUR

T1 - Getting Multiculturalism Right

T2 - Deontology and the Concern for Neutrality

AU - Johnson, Matthew Thomas

PY - 2017/4/29

Y1 - 2017/4/29

N2 - In recent years, the notion of pluralism or, as it is often termed, “multiculturalism,” has been subject to critique by a range of public figures on the right of the political spectrum, such as David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Donald Trump. While “multiculturalism” is presented as being antithetical to the traditions of Western societies, it is, in fact, grounded in the same liberal tradition of individual rights as that invoked by those on the right. This article aims to outline the intellectual tradition of deontological or rights-based pluralism, demonstrating that it is an inherent part of the liberal political tradition upon which modern liberal democracies are formed. By tracing ideas derived from John Locke and Immanuel Kant and developed in the modern worldby Will Kymlicka, John Rawls and Chandran Kukathas, this article seeks to enable those beyond the discipline of political philosophy to understand the ways in which rejecting pluralism means rejecting core commitments to equality, neutrality, respect and fairness.

AB - In recent years, the notion of pluralism or, as it is often termed, “multiculturalism,” has been subject to critique by a range of public figures on the right of the political spectrum, such as David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Donald Trump. While “multiculturalism” is presented as being antithetical to the traditions of Western societies, it is, in fact, grounded in the same liberal tradition of individual rights as that invoked by those on the right. This article aims to outline the intellectual tradition of deontological or rights-based pluralism, demonstrating that it is an inherent part of the liberal political tradition upon which modern liberal democracies are formed. By tracing ideas derived from John Locke and Immanuel Kant and developed in the modern worldby Will Kymlicka, John Rawls and Chandran Kukathas, this article seeks to enable those beyond the discipline of political philosophy to understand the ways in which rejecting pluralism means rejecting core commitments to equality, neutrality, respect and fairness.

KW - multiculturalism

KW - pluralism

KW - liberalism

KW - deontology

KW - neutrality

U2 - 10.1515/culture-2017-0004

DO - 10.1515/culture-2017-0004

M3 - Journal article

VL - 1

SP - 32

EP - 45

JO - Open Cultural Studies

JF - Open Cultural Studies

SN - 2451-3474

IS - 1

ER -