Diversidad aceptada

In: Revista mexicana de ciencias políticas y sociales, Band 44, Heft 179, S. 83-93

Abstract

This article analyzes the problem of exclusion in Western culture by undertaking a historical journey from antiquity to the 20th century searching for the significance of this phenomenon in each stage. It argues that even if Greek, Roman, medieval, & Renaissance writers experienced poverty & exclusion, they addressed them only marginally. Not even the Enlightenment -- with its universalizing project, tolerant & libertarian -- could avoid some forms of exclusion. Modernization theory makes central issues of poverty & exclusion, but globalization processes become paramount. However, the problem of exclusion has been a central question throughout the 20th century. Many scholars endorse a multicultural & inclusive approach to promote encounters between nations & cultures. Many arguments assist them. The significance of openness toward pluralism & tolerance is emphasized. A space for a negotiated coexistence is in itself a worthy case. In reference to the three types of citizenship identified by Marshall, the author hints at a fourth dimension: differentiated citizenship. The author concludes with reflections about the Mexican case, arguing that the time has come for Mexico to become a truly pluricultural nation, within which consideration of differences & the right to nourish them & develop ethnic identities coexists with the determination to share a common identity. Adapted from the source document.