Liberal Justification in Culturally Plural Societies

Abstract

In modern societies liberalism is supposed to be the most suitable doctrine for accommodating and advancing individual differences but this principle does not hold true when it comes to handle ethnic or cultural differences. The classical liberal formula of separation of public and private realm and the location of culture within the private sphere leads to the failure of this approach. This happens because this approach fails to capture the significance of culture and ethnicity of individuals and groups. Taking this deficit of liberalism as their point of departure, critics have suggested alternative strategies for accommodating cultural diversity under the rubric of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism aims to facilitate greater inclusion and integration of marginalized groups in culturally diverse societies. However despite its inclusive tendencies multiculturalism is often criticized by many on the pretext that it is against the maintenance of unified national identity and it leads to segregation by undermining interpersonal trust and solidarity in culturally diverse societies. They also feel that multicultural policies are dangerous as they undermine the liberal principles of equality and impartiality. They believe that recognition of group specific rights means denying the equal treatment of the individual and argue that liberalism by protecting the individual freedom of association offers the best possible strategy for accommodating cultural diversity. This article will first try to highlight the different ideas aired by different liberal scholars for adjusting different cultural demands and what is the best defense of liberal principles in order to adjust to cultural demands in a culturally pluralistic society.