ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses different conceptions and theorisations of cultural diversity. The first section of the chapter talks about the importance of cultural diversity. Subsequently, the second section traces the evolution of the idea of cultural diversity. The third section explores three mainstream theories on how the state should govern and administer cultural diversity. The section analyses how the liberalism, communitarianism, and multiculturalism failed to grasp the whole notion of culture and cultural diversity. While the liberals stipulate a minimal role for recognition of cultural diversity as far as the state is concerned, the multiculturalists acknowledge the need to preserve cultural diversity and protect the marginalised and disadvantaged cultures. The Achilles heel of both communitarian and some multicultural theories is reducing cultural diversity to pre-determined, fixed categories of identity and in giving less importance to intercultural interaction and dialogue. While the western models of multiculturalism have recognised the fact to accommodate a different culture, they failed to ensure the practical role of these cultures in public sphere and failed to engage with them through intercultural dialogue. In other words, the recognition has remained nominal. The section presents an alternative approach through synthesising critical multiculturalism and interculturalism to how the state shall treat cultural diversity. Interculturalism problematises reducing culture to the ethnicity and race. Critical multiculturalism analyses how liberal multiculturalist theorists have a misconception of theorising cultural diversity by segregating culture into segregated boxes of ethnicity or race and suggests the need for cross-cultural relations.
