What are the arguments for and against multiculturalism?

Being an IR student as well as a citizen of one of the culturally most diverse country on the planet India, I feel I can answer this question. read more

Multiculturalism isn't so much about arguments for or against as about the reality of a cultural situation. We actually live in a multicultural world. With the advent of telecommunications technologies that allow instant communication across the globe, it's really no longer very viable to imagine any one culture having absolute hegemony indefinitely. read more

Unfortunately, this goes against basic human instinct, as people are social beings who want to belong - and therefore, multiculturalism creates internal conflict within a population, starting with increasing rates of violence and crime between the ethnic groups, as we are witnessing in all declared multicultural nations. read more

Critics of multiculturalism may argue against cultural integration of different ethnic and cultural groups to the existing laws and values of the country. Alternatively critics may argue for assimilation of different ethnic and cultural groups to a single national identity. read more

Three Arguments against Multi-Culturalism: Multi-culturalism results in balkanization. Multi-culturalism only works in X context. The arguments for multi-culturalism allow for violations of rights. Rights and dignity should serve as the limits on the multi-culturalist project. read more

Multiculturalism can constrain police with a fear racism charges. The 7/7 bombings of London was arguably the result of certain"cells" in society that, although obviously wrong, were not banned, due in part to a fear among police and leaders of being seen as intolerant and going against multiculturalism. read more