The Multiculturalism of Fear

The Multiculturalism of Fear argues for a liberal account of multiculturalism which draws on a liberalism of fear like that articulated by Judith Shklar and inspired by Montesquieu. Liberalism should not be centrally concerned either with preserving or with transcending cultural communities, practices, and identities. Rather, it should focus on mitigating evils such as inter-ethnic civil wars, cruel practices internal to cultural communities, and state violence against ethnic minorities. This 'multiculturalism of fear' must be grounded in the realities of ethnic politics and ethnic conflict. It must therefore take seriously the importance which persons feel their ethnic identities and cultural practices to have, without falling into a celebration of cultural belonging. Levy argues against nationalist and multicultural theories that accord significant moral weight to cultural communities as such. Yet he also insists that the challenges of life in a multicultural world cannot be met without a recognition of the importance that particularist identities and practices have to individual persons and to social life. The book applies the multiculturalism of fear to a variety of policy problems confronting multiethnic states. These include the regulation of sexist practices internal to cultural communities; secession and national self-determination; land rights; customary law; and the symbols and words used by the state, including official apologies. It draws on cases from such diverse states as Australia, Canada, Israel, India, South Africa, and the United States.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Political Theory, Multiculturalism, and Nationalism Chapter One: The Multiculturalism of Fear Chapter Two: Cruelty and Conflict in Multiethnic Politics Chapter Three: The Impossibility of Universal Nationalism Chapter Four: Pluralism, Diversity, and Preserving Cultural Communities Chapter Five: Classifying Cultural Rights Chapter Six: Incorporating Indigenous Law Chapter Seven: Blood and Soil, Place or Property: Liberalism, Land, and Ethnicity Chapter Eight: Ethnic Symbolism and Official Apologies

About the Author :
Jacob T. Levy, Assistant Professor, Political Science, University of Chicago

Review :
`Levy's book offers many interesting ideas about how to deal with the enormous challenges ethnocultural pluralism throws forth in most states. It deserves a wide readership beyond political theory, and should also be studied by international relations scholars, conflict researchers and practitioners, policymakers, and diplomats.' The Global Review of Ethnopolitics `an excellent volume that provides a well-grounded normative theory for a specific approach to multiculturalism, exemplifies and contextualises it so as to make it possible to see the logic in the arguments brought forward in its defence ... it provides useful insights and a reasonable approach to one particular set of normative foundations for accommodating the demands of majorities and minorities, states and ethinic groups.' Stefan Wolff, University of Bath `The Multiculturalism of Fear is undoubtedly another book about multiculturalism, but rather than rehearsing old arguments in a familiar way, it contains a number of important messages and leads the reader to think about the topic in new ways.' Stefan Wolff, University of Bath