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DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM

DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM. Gargi Bhattacharyya. Progressive critique of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism ignored the power relations of racial injustice Pretended that we all needed to appreciate each other’s cultures – and then there would be no problem

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DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM

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  1. DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM Gargi Bhattacharyya

  2. Progressive critique of multiculturalism • Multiculturalism ignored the power relations of racial injustice • Pretended that we all needed to appreciate each other’s cultures – and then there would be no problem • Problematic understanding of history, politics and cultural identity

  3. Identities are not absolute or static • All of us are mixed and changing in some way or another • Most importantly, cultural appreciation does not translate into social justice

  4. Everyday multiculturalism • The lived experience of co-existence which is all around us • Evident to many = conviviality • But not an indication that racism has been eradicated

  5. What about racism? • Easy to act as if multiculturalism is working • Look we are living together • Threatens to erase experience of those facing everyday racism • Including many union members

  6. Defending racial justice, critiquing multiculturalism • Fear that we strengthen racists when we critique multiculturalism • But uncritical defence of multiculturalism can tie us to static conceptions of cultural identity • Surely our focus must remain on shared pursuit of justice

  7. What do we need to understand? • Islamophobia • Attacks on multiculturalism • Anti-migrant politics • Links between racism in respectable politics and street violence • Role of unions

  8. Racism against Muslims • Both state and popular racism explicitly targets Muslim communities • However, the term ‘Islamophobia’ is controversial – including among progressives internationally • Does it ‘culturalise’ racism? • In my view, tactically useful – but may be worth reviewing

  9. Attacks on Multiculturalism • … force us to become multiculturalists despite ourselves? • But different strands in the critique of multiculturalism

  10. Critique of multiculturalism as divisive and enabling oppressive practices to be tolerated as ‘cultural heritage’ • Encouraging cultural difference and cultural rights of minorities seen to contribute to segregation and inequality

  11. Changing populations – ‘super-diverse’ • Too mobile and too diverse for ‘cultural management’ • Resilience of inequality – implying that focus on cultural identity is inappropriate

  12. Anti-migrant politics • Covered elsewhere in today’s discussions • But the context for attacks on equality and arguments for exclusion • Cannot be separated from our demands for equality and justice in our workplaces

  13. Respectable racism and street violence • Legitimate focus on challenging street violence • And potential electoral gains by fascist parties • However, renewal of respectable (anti-migrant) racism requires a review of these tactics

  14. Role of unions • Austerity hardens inequality and, perhaps, attitudes – including in our own workplaces • Both fascism and respectable racism require constant challenge • But unions need to refocus on workplace racism as well

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