Multicultural Citizenship: Theories, Debates, and Policies Analysis

This report provides an analysis of multicultural citizenship, drawing on the works of Modood, Kymlicka, Okin, and Bloemraad, as well as an article by Cave. The analysis explores the complexities of integrating minority groups within the framework of liberal nationalism, cosmopolitanism, and interculturalism. It examines how different approaches to nationalism impact the sense of belonging for minority groups, focusing on issues of language, representation, and rights. The report also considers the tensions between gender equality and cultural accommodation, as well as the multifaceted nature of citizenship, encompassing rights, belonging, legal status, and participation. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges of assimilation, as exemplified by the proposed changes to Australian citizenship, and the political motivations behind such shifts, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the integrative impulses of aspiring citizens. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the debates surrounding multiculturalism and its implications for national identity and social cohesion.

Multicultural Citizenship
Tariq Modood, ‘Remaking the nation: immigration, integration, and multicultural nationalism.’
ABC Religion & Ethics, 25 July 2018, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/remaking-the-nation-
immigration-integration-and-multicultural-na/10214338
The article by Modood challenges the application and use of multiculturalism in the context of
liberal nationalism, cosmopolitanism, and interculturalism. The author aims to give the
differences between the three nationalism practices regarding the integration of minority groups.
He views multicultural nationalism as not only the approach of integration that recognizes not
only the minority groups in the national accord but also a national identity where the minorities
have a sense of belonging.
In his view, liberal nationalism and majoritarian interculturalism are the subsets of
multinationalism sharing the minority sense of belonging. Thus, in multiculturalism, the
minorities have shared but acceptable features of nationalism.
Kymlicka illuminates on the liberal theory of minority where contemporary society has begun to
focus on the rights and status of minority cultures. The authors argue that some minority groups
cultures can be traced to have similarity with the liberal democratic principles and hence, their
objections for recognition of personal freedom, justice, and national identity can be validated.
However, the author notes that there exists no universal formula applicable in all groups since
the needs of the immigrants are different from the natives. In this regard, the author analyzes the
issues of multicultural politics, including language, group representation, land rights, and more
which are mostly neglected in the understanding of multiculturalism.
Okin observed how some practices such as polygamy and female genital mutilation, which are
generally considered as vice are standard of practice in some parts of the world. The demand for
multiculturalism by some minority group is likely to perpetuate minority group vice to liberal
democracies that exhibit multiculturalism. The author raises the issues of dilemma in committing
to gender equality and the desire to respect and accommodate the customs, cultures, and religion
of the minority groups. She proposes that the rights of a particular minority group can endanger
the rights of women in the pursuit of multiculturalism.
On the other hand, Bloemraad elaborated on the issue of citizenship in the context of
multiculturalism. He viewed citizenship to have four facets, which included rights and belonging
as well as legal status and participation. He viewed multiculturalism as state discourse and
policies used. Although multiculturalism has been criticized for undermining common
citizenship, multicultural policies and emphasis on the conversation to pluralism and recognition
increase immigrants’ contribution to the national growth through citizenship, political trust, pride
to national identity. Thus, multiculturalism has little or no majority backlash and hence has
fueled inclusive nationalism.
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