Transcript DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM Gargi Bhattacharyya

DEFENDING MULTICULTURALISM
Gargi Bhattacharyya
Progressive critique of
multiculturalism
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Multiculturalism ignored the power relations
of racial injustice
Pretended that we all needed to appreciate
each other’s cultures – and then there would
be no problem
Problematic understanding of history, politics
and cultural identity
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Identities are not absolute or static
All of us are mixed and changing in some
way or another
Most importantly, cultural appreciation does
not translate into social justice
Everyday multiculturalism
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The lived experience of co-existence which is
all around us
Evident to many = conviviality
But not an indication that racism has been
eradicated
What about racism?
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Easy to act as if multiculturalism is working
Look we are living together
Threatens to erase experience of those
facing everyday racism
Including many union members
Defending racial justice, critiquing
multiculturalism
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Fear that we strengthen racists when we
critique multiculturalism
But uncritical defence of multiculturalism can
tie us to static conceptions of cultural identity
Surely our focus must remain on shared
pursuit of justice
What do we need to understand?
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Islamophobia
Attacks on multiculturalism
Anti-migrant politics
Links between racism in respectable politics
and street violence
Role of unions
Racism against Muslims
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Both state and popular racism explicitly
targets Muslim communities
However, the term ‘Islamophobia’ is
controversial – including among progressives
internationally
Does it ‘culturalise’ racism?
In my view, tactically useful – but may be
worth reviewing
Attacks on Multiculturalism
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… force us to become multiculturalists
despite ourselves?
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But different strands in the critique of
multiculturalism
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Critique of multiculturalism as divisive and
enabling oppressive practices to be tolerated
as ‘cultural heritage’
Encouraging cultural difference and cultural
rights of minorities seen to contribute to
segregation and inequality
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Changing populations – ‘super-diverse’
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Too mobile and too diverse for ‘cultural
management’
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Resilience of inequality – implying that focus
on cultural identity is inappropriate
Anti-migrant politics
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Covered elsewhere in today’s discussions
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But the context for attacks on equality and
arguments for exclusion
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Cannot be separated from our demands for
equality and justice in our workplaces
Respectable racism and street
violence
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Legitimate focus on challenging street
violence
And potential electoral gains by fascist
parties
However, renewal of respectable (antimigrant) racism requires a review of these
tactics
Role of unions
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Austerity hardens inequality and, perhaps,
attitudes – including in our own workplaces
Both fascism and respectable racism require
constant challenge
But unions need to refocus on workplace
racism as well