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European societies have always been multicultural in the most basic sense of the term, which includes the concept of multinational societies. What is new for contemporary European societies is that they are now multicultural in a second sense, insofar as they are poly-ethnic societies. The article argues that it is not the place of the state to privilege certain ethnic groups over others, nor is it the place of the state to define ethnic groups in any manner distinct from how they define themselves. Thus, specific cultural distinctions can neither be manufactured nor ignored. Special attention is given to the British multicultural model, which seeks to maintain & balance the different political & cultural identities & needs of ethnic groups. References. R. Young

First, this article puts forth a political & cultural explanation for the fact that the work of Rawls & other American liberal analytic political philosophers was neglected in Portugal during the 1970s & 1980s. Second, the article describes Portuguese reactions to Rawls's ideas in the 1990s, focusing on commentaries by scholars & 'public intellectuals'. Throughout this period, there was a gradual shift from glib partisan judgements to more careful responses. Third, the reception of Rawls in Portugal is compared with the reception in Spain. This comparison shows that both broad social context & the nature of academia tended to be more hospitable to Rawls in Spain than in Portugal. However, the situation is changing. 1 Appendix. [Copyright 2002 Sage Publications Ltd.]