ABSTRACT
Like historical time and geographic place, socio-demographic 'difference' is also entwined with debates about justice and 'us'. Indeed, labelling fellow citizens as 'others' helps rationalize and justify their indifference: if 'they' are not 'one of us', then 'we' do not have to care about their well-being. Consequently, 'justice for just us' trumps 'justice beyond just us'. Just as dilemmas of time and place emerge when considering matters of justice and 'us', so do dilemmas of difference. In response to the facts of pluralism and multiculturalism, many fear that socio-demographic differences undermine a shared American culture and national identity. This view, however, rests on assumptions that a homogeneous culture is required for political unity. Alternatively, there are ways to defend a heterogeneous American society and national identity that accommodates socio-demographic pluralism. Difference is not inherently the source of fragmentation; instead, segregation, isolation, and intolerance are the root of the problem.
