Challenging Multiculturalism : European Models of Diversity

Have Europeans become hostile to multiculturalism? When people vote for anti-immigration parties, do they also support their anti-multiculturalism policies? And are right-wing extremists becoming the storm troopers of the struggle against diversity?In recent years, European political leaders from Angela Merkel to David Cameron have discarded the term multiculturalism and now express scepticism, criticism and even hostility towards multicultural ways of organising their societies. Yet they are unprepared to reverse the diversity existing in their states. These contradictory choices have different political consequences in the countries examined in this book. The future of European liberalism is being played out as multicultural notions of belonging, inclusion, tolerance and the national home are brought into question.