Résumé:
Multiculturalism is and has always been a highly contested issue. In fact, the end of
the previous century saw the remarkable rise of multiculturalism as a political
philosophy, and the growing popularity of multicultural policies in many democratic
countries. However, since the turn of the millennium multiculturalism has become a
subject of intense political and public debate in Western Europe and particularly in
Britain.
This thesis explores key questions related to multiculturalism namely race,
racism and belonging while critically assessing multiculturalism from the standpoint of
political philosophy and political practice. The ideas of prominent defenders and
critics of multiculturalism are evaluated, and debates around multiculturalism and
subsequent debates over immigration, cultural rights and Britishness are explored
