Diversity in an Anti-immigration Era: Theories, controversies, principles

Abstract

This piece introduces the overarching themes of the special issue. It maps the current intellectual landscape, and describes the disconnect between a lot of influential academic research on cultural and religious diversity and political reality. It argues that the rise of anti-immigration and anti-diversity sentiments in many democratic states around the world renders conventional arguments for multiculturalism inapplicable in these states, and calls for a re-appraisal of these theories in order to assess their feasibility and persuasiveness. It outlines the contributions to the special issue, and analyses the themes on which they touch.