Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights

However prevalent may have been the longing for homogeneity, or at least social unity, in political thinking, the fundamental point which must be recognized is that cultural diversity or pluralism has been the most notable feature of society in the history of human set tlement. "Marginality and...

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Main Author: KUKATHAS, Chandran
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Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 1996
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Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2957
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4214/viewcontent/Pluralism__multiculturalism_and_group_rights.pdf
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spelling sg-smu-ink.soss_research-42142019-09-19T06:29:28Z Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights KUKATHAS, Chandran However prevalent may have been the longing for homogeneity, or at least social unity, in political thinking, the fundamental point which must be recognized is that cultural diversity or pluralism has been the most notable feature of society in the history of human set tlement. "Marginality and pluralism were and are the norm of civi lized existence."1 There are several reasons why this is the pattern revealed by history.2 The first has to do with the ubiquity of military conflict. Even among barbarians ethnic political unity was fragile because military conquests resulted in the mixing of peoples. But throughout history the military ventures of both nomadic and civi lized peoples ensured a continual mingling of aben peoples. A sec ond factor which contributed to this mingling was trade, which developed further with greater specialization and the division of labor.3 Thirdly, disease, in its impact on health and mortality in urban centers had a profound demographic effect: the loss of popu lations and labor shortages meant that cities were forced to look outside for replacement?to immigrants, to guest workers, and to slaves. Finally, the rise of universalist religions such as Islam, Buddhism and Christianity served to further transform distant cul tures with foreign ideas and foreign visitors. 1996-04-01T08:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2957 info:doi/10.1017/CBO9780511813153.008 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4214/viewcontent/Pluralism__multiculturalism_and_group_rights.pdf Research Collection School of Social Sciences eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Political Economy Political Science
institution Singapore Management University
building SMU Libraries
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider SMU Libraries
collection InK@SMU
language English
topic Political Economy
Political Science
spellingShingle Political Economy
Political Science
KUKATHAS, Chandran
Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
description However prevalent may have been the longing for homogeneity, or at least social unity, in political thinking, the fundamental point which must be recognized is that cultural diversity or pluralism has been the most notable feature of society in the history of human set tlement. "Marginality and pluralism were and are the norm of civi lized existence."1 There are several reasons why this is the pattern revealed by history.2 The first has to do with the ubiquity of military conflict. Even among barbarians ethnic political unity was fragile because military conquests resulted in the mixing of peoples. But throughout history the military ventures of both nomadic and civi lized peoples ensured a continual mingling of aben peoples. A sec ond factor which contributed to this mingling was trade, which developed further with greater specialization and the division of labor.3 Thirdly, disease, in its impact on health and mortality in urban centers had a profound demographic effect: the loss of popu lations and labor shortages meant that cities were forced to look outside for replacement?to immigrants, to guest workers, and to slaves. Finally, the rise of universalist religions such as Islam, Buddhism and Christianity served to further transform distant cul tures with foreign ideas and foreign visitors.
format text
author KUKATHAS, Chandran
author_facet KUKATHAS, Chandran
author_sort KUKATHAS, Chandran
title Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
title_short Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
title_full Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
title_fullStr Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
title_full_unstemmed Pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
title_sort pluralism, multiculturalism and group rights
publisher Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
publishDate 1996
url https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2957
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4214/viewcontent/Pluralism__multiculturalism_and_group_rights.pdf
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