Anti-diversity and its multiple contexts: Multiculturalism’s ordeals in Asia and Europe

The literature makes clear that abandoning multiculturalism and adopting interculturalism was often seen to be the solution for continuing to promote tolerance and equity in diverse societies. This point is well argued in Christine Halse’s chapter on multiculturalism in Europe (Chapter 2). Yet the chapters in this book attest to the fact that whatever ‘ism’ we use, those problems have not been resolved – either in Europe or Asia. The multicultural universe of sins, discrimination, racism, hate speech and exclusion, is as rampant today as it has ever been. Societies continue to be confronted with both the political problems associated with multiculturalism and the social problems associated with interculturalism. What is more, in Europe the language of populism has exacerbated these problems, although it is much less influential across Asia. The new language of super and hyper-diversity does not confront these new politics. What was once the politics of diversity has morphed into the politics of anti-diversity. This has happened at a time when diversity across and within societies is more prevalent and more obvious than it has ever been. It is this conflict between the increasing diversity of our societies and the growing opposition to it that has been the focus of this book. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Christine Halse and Kerry J. Kennedy; individual chapters, the contributors.