Do We Need a Liberal Theory of Minority Rights? Reply to Carens, Young, Pareth, and Forst

Abstract

Abstract This chapter presents the author’s response to criticisms that the theory of minority rights developed in his book, “Multicultural Citizenship” relies on universal liberal values, and is insensitive to contextual factors and cultural differences. The author argues that any attempt to develop a theory of minority rights will contradict other conceptions on the nature and role of culture. Developing a coherent liberal theory of minority rights is essential to finding the answers to questions on ethnocultural pluralism.