July 2004

Multiculturalism and Political Integration in the Modern Nation State

This paper discusses the issue of multiculturalism, one of the central political concerns of European countries since 1945. Rather than attempting to outline the many contexts in which the term has been used, the author seeks to develop a general theory of multiculturalism within a broad conceptual framework. The paper touches on subjects relevant to multiculturalism, including social citizenship, the integration of immigrants, education, and armed ethnic conflict. The author also examines the prospects of multiculturalism after the US-led war against terrorism. He concludes that to be viable, multicultural policies must recognize conflicts of interests between different groups.

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