Introduction: What difference does the difference make? Cultural pluralism as friendship -- From Berenstadt to Boston -- The talented among the tenth -- Locke and Kallen, student and teacher -- American pluralists, friends at Oxford -- The Plural is political -- Plural in culture, universal in religion -- Friendship rekindled, pluralism refined -- Locke's legacy, Kallen's memory -- Conclusion: Differences made.
This article poses three questions related to the current revision of democratic citizenship in plurinational states. The first question focuses on the analytical limits of the term 'multicultural' and on the question of where nationalist movements stand within cultural pluralism. The second question asks whether it is possible to overcome the inherent difficulties in the traditional concept of liberal-democratic citizenship in plurinational states. Finally, the third question asks whether federalism is an adequate framework to regulate a revised concept of democratic citizenship in plurinational states. These three questions are developed in three sections. In the first I put forward a typology that allows us to identify four kinds of cultural pluralism movements that are present within the current liberal democracies. In the second section I identify some of the shortcomings of the traditional concept of citizenship with respect to the plurinational integration of some democracies, making special reference to the standard liberal version by Rawls. I defend the right of the minority liberal nationalisms to be included in a revision of the concept of democratic citizenship for the next century. Finally, I discuss the role of federalism, paying special attention to the case of Catalonia and Spain within Europe, and to possible 'asymmetrical' reforms to the concept of democratic citizenship. (European Journal of Political Research / FUB)
THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CULTURAL PLURALISM, MODERNIZATION, & POLITICAL INSTABILITY ARE REEXAMINED, & STATISTICAL REGULARITIES AS DEVELOPED FOR 30 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN NATIONS ARE INVESTIGATED. POLITICAL INSTABILITY IS DEFINED AS A CONDITION IN WHICH THE INSTITUTIONALIZED PATTERNS OF AUTHORITY BREAK DOWN & VIOLENCE TAKES ITS PLACE. ELITE INSTABILITY, COMMUNAL INSTABILITY, & MASS INSTABILITY ARE DIFFERENTIATED. 3 HYPOTHESES ARE OFFERED: (1) THE GREATER THE CULTURAL PLURALISM IN A NATION THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY, (2) THE GREATER THE MODERNIZATION IN NATIONS THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY, & (3) THE GREATER THE CULTURAL PLURALISM IN NATIONS THE GREATER THE LIKELIHOOD THAT MODERNIZATION WILL LEAD TO POLITICAL INSTABILITY. DISTRIBUTIONS WERE COMPARED FOR 30 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN NATIONS ON A SET OF VARIABLES MEASURING THESE 3 CONCEPTS. DATA WERE COLLECTED & DOCUMENTED FROM THE MACHINE READABLE DATA BANK OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL INTEGRATION PROJECT; ADDITIONAL DATA WERE GATHERED ON THE BACKGROUNDS OF MEMBERS OF CABINETS IN AFRICAN NATIONS AT THE TIME OF INDEPENDENCE, DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE 1ST COUP D'ETAT, & IN DEC, 1967. CULTURAL PLURALISM INCREASES THE POSSIBILITIES OF CONFLICT BETWEEN MEMBERS OF COMMUNAL GROUPS IN AFRICAN NATIONS & THE POSSIBILITY OF ELITE & COMMUNAL INSTABILITY, GREATER DEGREES OF VARIATION IN ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF ELITE INSTABILITY, WHILE MODERNIZATION DECREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY. MODERNIZATION, IF NOT MISMANAGED BY FOREIGN POWERS, WILL HAVE A STABILIZING INFLUENCE ON AFRICAN NATIONS. 7 TABLES, 1 FIGURE. B. WEISBROD.
A discussion of multiculturalism & language policy in France is presented with focus on social & political attitudes toward Diwan, the independent Breton-language school movement. Review of the political efforts over the last two decades of the Breton national movement & other political groups to institutionalize a national policy of pluralism is presented. It is argued that despite continued resistance to cultural diversity in France, efforts to revitalize minority languages & cultures are succeeding, albeit slowly & incompletely. Adapted from the source document.
