ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the conceptual foundations required to analyse government policies towards cultural diversity in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It distinguishes between different types of ethno-cultural minorities and explains how each makes distinct political claims. Polyethnic minorities typically seek fairer terms of integration, equal treatment and public recognition of cultural practices. By contrast, Indigenous peoples and national minorities base their claims on historical nationhood, land and self-determination, often rejecting inclusion within a dominant national culture. The chapter traces policy evolution from assimilation to multiculturalism, showing how multiculturalism emphasizes cultural recognition, participation and celebration in the public sphere. From the 1980s, neoliberalism has reshaped multiculturalism by devolving service delivery, redefining equality around participation rather than redistribution, and promoting diversity as an economic asset. Under neoliberal multiculturalism, governments have tended to collapse different minority claims into a single framework of the promotion and celebration of diversity. The chapter also traces the distinction between cultural recognition and cultural appropriation. It argues that appropriation arises when minority cultures are used without consent, often for state or commercial benefit, and in ways that ignore economic power imbalances. Ultimately, members of minority communities themselves are best placed to judge whether state uses of culture constitute appropriation.
