Multiculturalism and the Foundations of Meaningful Life
Multiculturalism and the Foundations of Meaningful Life
Reconciling Automony, Identity, and Community
Theories of liberal multiculturalism seek to reconcile culturalrights with universal liberal principles. Some focus on individualautonomy; others emphasize communal identity. Andrew Robinson arguesthat liberal multiculturalism can be justified without privilegingeither. By appealing to the deeper value of meaningful life, he showshow autonomy and community are actually interdependent. He concludes byillustrating – with reference to national and ethnic minorities,indigenous peoples, and traditional communities – the policyprinciples that can be derived from this position.
An innovative account of the theory and practice of liberalmulticulturalism, Multiculturalism and the Foundations ofMeaningful Life will interest students, scholars, activists andpolicy makers working in areas of political theory, multiculturalism,indigenous peoples, and ethnic and religious minorities.
An important and original work on a pressing and difficult issue. Robinson cuts through the standard terms of the 'liberal-multiculturalism' debate and reconfigures them in a way that will fundamentally change the debate. His book is like a breath of fresh air on the subject.
A book of remarkable poise and insight. Robinson does the tradition of liberal multiculturalism a great service by providing it with normative foundations, which, as he convincingly demonstrates, had been missing until now. In justifying the accommodation of community rights, Robinson has given us a considerably enriched theory of liberal justice.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1: Inspecting the Foundations
1 Why Return to Foundational Assumptions?
Part 2: The Foundations of Meaningful Life
2 Meaningful Life and the Conception of the Person
3 Justifying Cultural Accommodation: Identification, Communities,and Contexts of Value
4 Situated Autonomy and Socialization
Part 3: A Politics of Liberal Multiculturalism
5 Defining Communities and Justifying Accommodation
6 Designing Cultural Accommodation
7 State-Community Relations
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
