Subject Area: Politics and International Relations
This course can also be studied in the following specialisation: Australian Studies

The course focuses on whether multiculturalism – considered as a public policy that recognises cultural identity in law and politics – threatens or complements liberal notions of justice, equality and common citizenship. The first part of the course considers how liberal theory has traditionally viewed groups and group identity and traces the rise of multiculturalism as a new way of thinking about and responding to cultural diversity. We will pay special attention to the institutionalisation of multiculturalism in Australia. The second part of the course examines some influential recent theories trying to defend multiculturalism or cultural accommodation on liberal principles. The third part of the course considers some arguments that liberal multiculturalism does not go far enough in addressing cultural claims and some arguments that it goes too far. We will also consider the place of indigenous groups in these debates.