Negotiating Minority Identities in Democracies :

Abstract

Diversity is a fact of life which is reflected in all states and all societies. Diversity of European states is in a sense both foundational and recent or ongoing. The foundational differences especially in West European states were accommodated in the national imaginings through citizenship, a civic understanding of the nation and devolution of power. Other than that migration results in ongoing and fresh diversity, in terms of language, culture, religion and customs. In Eastern Europe the trajectory of nation state development has been different with its complex ethnic patchwork, ethnic understanding of the nation and the concomitant minority issues and potential conflicts. This paper focuses on how today as a consequence of migration the presence of new, especially nonwhite, ethnic and religious groups is a reality for most European states. It specifically looks at the lived experience of Muslims in European states and argues that their lived experience has been complex. In settling identity claims multiculturalism came up in a big way drawing attention to the fact how ‘individual centric’ liberalism failed to take note the role of community in individuals’ life and also disadvantaged minority cultural communities. Following 9/11 and subsequent terror attacks while the need for dialogue between communities has gained greater urgency it has also reduced the space for dialogue, negotiations and meaningful accommodation of differences. Attacks and criticism against multiculturalism which created grounds for greater recognition of the rights of cultural communities has intensified. In state after state the mounting thrust is now on, rising above particularities and nurturing commonality and integration.