Tuesday 17 February 2009

Against 'culturalism'

There is scarcely a more important task in contemporary politics and political philosophy than giving full consideration to developing universal enlightenment and with the greatest possible force turning against both prevailing right and leftwing forms of culturalism and their enslavement of the individual in his or her own 'culture'.

From an excellent critique of the 'culturalism' of left and right that has overtaken European political debate, by Danish writers Jens-Martin Eriksen and Frederik Stjernfelt. Do read the whole thing - it's in the online journal eurozine, which I hadn't come across before.

Eriksen and Stjernfelt have recently published a book whose title translates as The Politics of Segregation. Multiculturalism - Ideology and Reality. If anyone has come across an English translation, please let me know - it sounds good.