Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/919901

OpenURL Link
Title
Global multiculturalism: some comparative observations about social inclusion and Islamophobia
Author/Creator
Imre, Rob
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Business & Law, Newcastle Business School
Description
In this paper I should like to address the issue of Islamophobia, and the normative problem of social inclusion, through an examination of approaches to multiculturalism from a variety of nation-states around the world. I should like to discuss the phenomenon of Islamophobia as it appears in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, the UK and Germany, in order to demonstrate the following: that ‘multiculturalism’ as both a policy and practice can be radically different in all of these developed countries; that manifestations of social inclusion and approaches to the inclusion of various groups can have a diverse range of forms; and that ‘Islamophobia’ can be countered through a reinforcement of (particular kinds of) multiculturalism as they appear in certain contexts. We in Australia have much to learn from the mistakes as well as the successes of social inclusion approaches in these, and other, nation-states. A beginning might be to challenge the notion that multiculturalism is an hegemonic idea, as well as challenging the notion that multiculturalism has ‘failed’ as a project of social inclusion of diverse groups and individuals. Rather than claiming a ‘crisis’, in this paper I claim that in most cases multiculturalism has not gone far enough in terms of ensuring that diverse individuals and groups have an equality of life-chances, and a recognition of diverse ways of life. Further, multiculturalism of all kinds can point to clear and demonstrable successes in terms of fostering cooperation among a wide variety of self-identifying religious and/or ethnic and/or national groups.
Relation
National Social Cohesion Conference: Challenging Islamophobia: Towards Social Justice & Inclusion. Challenging Islamophobia: Towards Social Justice & Inclusion: Presentations (Sydney 19-21 July, 2009)
Relation
http://www.affinity.org.au/index.php/events/86-challenging-islamophobia-report.html
Date
2009
Publisher
Affinity Intercultural Foundation
Keyword(s)
social inclusion;  multiculturalism;  Islamophobia
Resource Type
conference paper
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/919901
35 Visitors 53 Hits 1 Downloads
Save/E-mail Citation
Citation Format
E-mail Address
Subject
"Global multiculturalism: some comparative observations about social inclusion and Islamophobia"
 
OR