14 March 2011

The multiculturalism the European right fears so much is a fiction – it never existed

.... Moreover, these multicultural facts have nothing to do with race, religion or immigration. The Bretons in France, Basques in Spain, Bavarians in Germany and Sicilians in Italy are a few examples of cultural affiliations that thrive independently of the nations they inhabit.

This is the multiculturalism many of us on the left, including Sivanandan, are defending. The right to assert autonomy and cultural difference underpinned by an understanding that national identity is just one among many identities and may well not be the primary one: an affirmation of plurality against calls for assimilation that attempt to first invent and then enforce "British values" and other national orthodoxies.

[COMMENT] As for your ridiculous claim that people immigrating into a country cannot change the cultural fabric of a country, I would suggest that you look around Europe. Living in mainland europe I can point you to many countries / cities where your claim can easily be shown to be as false.

Do you really believe that segregation is a myth?, have you managed to get out if Islington and take a trip across England?, if you had you would know how untruthful your statement is. [Guardian Cif] Read more