The UK, unlike Canada and Australia, has never formally embraced multiculturalism as a basis for intercommunal relations, yet multiculturalism has been accepted, particularly since the 1980s, as the prevailing ethos in much of British public life. This has been evident in developments as diverse as the advance of bilingualism in Wales, the emphasis on ‘equality and diversity’ in the public services, the spread of so-called ‘faith schools’ and the former Lord Chief Justice’s (Lord Phillips) willingness to accept Sharia courts as a legitimate means of settling certain disputes between British Muslims. Such developments have, nevertheless, not gone unchallenged. Indeed, it has become increasingly fashionable to declare that multiculturalism has ‘gone too far’, or has ‘had its day’, a view expressed not least by Trevor Phillips, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. But what exactly is multiculturalism? What assumptions and thinking lie behind multiculturalism, and what different forms does it take? Finally, what are the main objections to multiculturalism and the wider politics of culture?
This article will help A2 students to prepare effectively for the new A2 specifications. It focuses on the following aspects of the specifications.
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