In defence of geo-cultural identity: an argument against Kymlicka’s view of multiculturalism and minority rights

Abstract:

Cultural diversity often appears as a basic phenomenon in the contemporary globalized world. People who are culturally marginalized often claim various rights, such as language rights, rights of territorial autonomy, immigration rights, and environmental rights. Conflicts between majorities and minorities are therefore likely, and have indeed caused deadly violence all over the world. Will Kymlicka argues for a new liberal approach to resolve these issues in multicultural politics. He believes that a comprehensive theory of justice in multiculturalism should include universal human rights as well as certain “group-differentiated rights” for minorities. His arguments for group-differentiated rights, as he calls them, are founded upon on equality-based argument, history-based argument, and cultural diversity argument. This paper critically examines Kymlicka’s view of multiculturalism and minority rights, and explores some of his main critiques. It argues that while culture is important for individuals, multiculturalism should rest on the values of cultural diversity and geo-cultural identity.