Media debates multi-culturalism


Is multi-culturalism eroding social unity in countries such as Britain? Does Britain need more 'Britishness'? What defines the common ground in the country, and where is the balance between that common ground, Britishness, multi-culturalism and separatism? The London bombing prompted the debate in the UK . Elsewhere similar discussions induced either by global happenings or domestic experiences are taking place too.

Prospect editor David Goodhart fires the initial salvo:
'Too Diverse?' (By David Goodhart, Prospect, February 2004)

A volley from The Guardian:
'How racist is Britain?'
(The Guardian, January 23, 2007)
'Bitter white whine: Modern immigration is about economics, not ethnicity'
(By Gary Younge, The Guardian, 26 February, 2004)
Time to get to grips with Britishness'
(By John Denham, The Guardian, 26 February, 2004)
'Racism is our socialism of fools'
(By Jeremy Seabrook, The Guardian, 26 February, 2004)
'Our common values are brought about by a clash of cultures'
(By A Sivanandan, The Guardian, 26 February, 2004)
'To insist on cultural integration is the exact opposite of racism'
(By Peter Hitchens, The Guardian, 26 February, 2004)


The Economist weighs in:
'Multiculturalism: The kindness of strangers? Diversity makes people anti-social. That is not as catastrophic as it sounds'
(The Economist, 26 February, 2004)

Scotland's Sunday Herald joins the fray:
'Race: Britain's burning issue' 
(By James Cusick, The Sunday Herald, 4 April 2004)

Prospect returns to the field:
'Diversity divide: Opinion on my diversity essay divided, in part, on ethnic lines'
(By David Goodhart, Prospect, April 2004)


Widening the debate:
"Nice racism?" How a British mag struck a vein with an immigration essay'
(By James Clasper, The Raw Story, 1 May, 2004)
'The Janus dilemma'
(By Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian, 5 June, 2004)
Country faces 'passive apartheid'
(BBC News, 8 October, 2004)
'Global villagers'
(By Ian Jack, The Guardian, 30 October 2004)
'Multiculturalism is not the culprit'
(By James A. Goldston, International Herald Tribune, 30 August 2005)
Chirac stresses TV to build diversity
(International Herald Tribune, 22 November 2005)
The message in France's explosion
(Open Democracy, 14 November 2005)
Book Review: European Helots
(By Andras L. Pap, Transitions Online, 15 February 2006)
A voice against Muslim 'hostages' to terror
(By John M. Broder The New York Times, 15 March 2006)
Multiculturalism, citizenship & national identity
(By Tariq Modood, www.opendemocracy, 17 May 2007)
Multiculturalism and citizenship: responses to Tariq Modood
(By Nick Pearce, Sunny Hundal, Nick Johnson, www.opendemocracy, 21 May 2007)
Multicultural problems, liberal solutions
(By Paul Kelly, www.opendemocracy, 30 May 2007)
Beyond formula: a civic multiculturalism
(By Abdul-Rehman Malik, www.opendemocracy, 4 June 2007)
The many faces of multiculturalism
(By Sami Zubaida, www.opendemocracy, 5 June 2007)
Multiculturalism's civic future: a response
(By Tariq Modood , www.opendemocracy, 20 June 2007)