SOAS Research Online

Abstract

In the last decade the study of multiculturalism has become an established field in political and social theory. This in-depth and engaging volume focuses on public policy and the dilemmas faced by the governments of increasingly diverse societies. Offering a theoretically and empirically rich collection of essays from some of the leading specialists in the field, it fills the gap between the social and political theory of multiculturalism and institutionally based national case studies. The book is distinctive in combining a robust theoretical introduction to recent developments in multiculturalism with a critical evaluation of contemporary public policy in a variety of countries in Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East and South Africa. It incorporates a strong comparative dimension both within and across the case studies, with a regional focus enabling comparisons of regional, national and international experience.