Culture and Equality

Beschreibung

All major western countries today contain groups that differ intheir religious beliefs, customary practices or ideas about theright way in which to live. How should public policy respond tothis diversity? In this important new work, Brian Barry challengesthe currently orthodox answer and develops a powerful restatementof an egalitarian liberalism for the twenty-first century. Until recently it was assumed without much question that culturaldiversity could best be accommodated by leaving cultural minoritiesfree to associate in pursuit of their distinctive ends within thelimits imposed by a common framework of laws. This solution isrejected by an influential school of political theorists, amongwhom some of the best known are William Galston, Will Kymlicka,Bhikhu Parekh, Charles Taylor and Iris Marion Young. According tothem, this 'difference-blind' conception of liberal equality failsto deliver either liberty or equal treatment. In its place, theypropose that the state should 'recognize' group identities, bygranting groups exemptions from certain laws, publicly 'affirming'their value, and by providing them with special privileges orsubsidies. In Culture and Equality, Barry offers an incisive critiqueof these arguments and suggests that theorists of multiculturismtend to misdiagnose the problems of minority groups. Often, theseare not rooted in culture, and multiculturalist policies mayactually stand in the way of universalistic measures that would begenuinely beneficial.

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Brian Barry

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Philosophie Philosophy Political & Economic Philosophy Political Issues & Behavior Political Philosophy & Theory Political Science Politikwissenschaft Politische Fragen u. politisches Verhalten Politische Philosophie u. Politiktheorie Politische u. Ökonomische Philosophie

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'Defenders of multiculturalism are called to task by the esteemedpolitical philosopher Brian Barry in this critique of the "politicsof difference". Barry argues that multiculturalist policies do notadvance the values of liberty and equality but foster stridentnationalism by focusing on what divides people at the expense ofwhat unites them...' Audrey Stratham, Scotland onSunday 'Brian Barry, in [his] recent and controversial work onmulticulturalism ... argues that contemporary multiculturalpractice, which stresses the rights and separateness of ethnicminority and other communities within nation states, harms thosegovernments that are most committed to the provision of greatersocial justice - the central plank of new Labour.' John Lloyd,New Statesman 'A liberal, Robert Frost wrote, is someone who can't take hisown side in an argument. The goal of Culture and Equality isto free liberals of their disabling scruples and in particularthose deriving from those currently prevalent ideas that arevariously called "multiculturalism" or the politics of "difference"or "recognition" or "identity" ... a defender of liberal principleswho seeks confidently to take his own side in an argument must alsobe on the lookout for ideas and arguments that challenge theirbasis. Barry meets such challenges with assertion.' TimesLiterary Supplement 'In this robust, clear-headed and wide-ranging assault on thecontemporary multiculturalist debate in political theory Barrytakes few prisoners. He exposes much cant, wooly mindedness andconfusion. He treads on many toes and makes few apologies, yet thisis a deeply serious and important book.' European SociologicalReview 'This is one of the most important books that I have read on thequestion of multiculturalism ... a very well-balanced book and one,which I would hope, will transform the debate aboutmulticulturalism and equality.' Innovation - The EuropeanJournal of Social Science Research 'It is a trenchant, robust, vigorously and rigorously arguedcounterblast in the name of liberal egalitarianism against those,especially fellow egalitarian liberals, who defend the politics ofmulticulturalism. ... No short review can do full justice to therichness of Barry's book. It combines erudition, unabashed defenceof liberalism, a passion for the point of liberal politics, and afinely tuned sensitivity to the idiocies of simple-mindedmulticulturalist apologetics. There are excellent discussions of,inter alia, education, "culture", the costs of groupmembership, and the free exercise of religion. David Archard,Contemporary Political Theory "This is an important and stimulating book that deserves to bepondered deeply." Andrew Wright, Studies in Philosophy andEducation
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