Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

7.4. General Review of European Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is considered a question of ensuring the harmony and coexistence of different cultures in modern European countries. In this context, the multiculturalism policy of coexistence of various ethnic and religious groups, as well as harmony based on diversity, can often become the subject of heated debates mainly in Britain and other European countries, including Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and France. But increasingly anti-immigration ideas are overshadowing the policy of multiculturalism in Europe.

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As a result of labour migration in Europe, various European nations have come together in large industrial cities sharing universal capitalism and liberal values of civilization and have adopted the identity of a single nation. They have already been recognized by their political and national identity, rather than ethnic and religious. The paradigm of the nation based on the ideas of secularism put an end to a centuries-old conflict as well as civil wars between Catholics and Protestants in Europe, ensuring their coexistence.

Today it is not possible to talk about a titular ethnos either in Europe or the United States. Because of long-term migration these countries have eliminated the concept of a titular ethnos. In fact, the ethno-social mosaic of these countries, which has always existed under the name of religious identity and civil nationalism, shows that these societies have never been monocultural. The super-ethnic indicator maintains itself in the single language of these countries. But while the ideology of nationalism of monoculture creates a myth about the existence of a single nation, cultural minorities have preserved their existence in regions under the shadow of this myth and have added colour and richness to a single nation.

People who do not have religious or ethnic identity in Europe often find themselves forced to join those groups, because only groups and communities (their schools, theatres, clubs, organizations, etc.) from different cultures are financed by governments as they pursue the policy of multiculturalism. This mechanism creates conditions for the establishment and development of a state within the state. Traditions within these groups and communities are strengthening and the cultural revival here begins to be more passionate and radical. In this regard, Muslims in Europe are more involved in radical religious

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communities. Within such radical communities, freedom of thought and expression is restricted and human rights are violated.

Since these communities and groups are mainly closed, such violations of rights are ignored by the law-enforcement authorities. This tendency is expected to deepen even further and lead to the gradual increase in independent self-governing communities within a multicultural management system. It would also reduce the burden of responsibility on the government.

If we take a general look at the European Union, multiculturalism is welcomed by Germany, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries and the United Kingdom. The rights of national minorities are ensured in these countries, although not on the same level as in the Canadian or Australian models of multiculturalism. These rights include mother tongue education, increase in political activity of marginal groups, the imposition of legislative compromises in order to implement religious and traditional laws, etc.

As has been mentioned in the previous chapters, ideas about the failure of multiculturalism in Europe have been voiced recently. One of the causes of the current situation is the rise in the political activity of ultra-right political parties advocating racism and nationalism in a number of European countries. The politicians from these parties are creating their own electorate by expressing strong opinions about alien cultures in populist terms. Though the supporters of these parties in Europe are not large in number, the prevailing situation shows a decline of interest in European multiculturalism. From this point of view, some legal limitations are being imposed on immigration in a number of countries, especially in the Netherlands; the acquisition of citizenship is becoming more complicated, while the conditions for the revocation of citizenship are simplified. All this brings into question the future

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of multicultural Europe, making inevitable a policy towards the protection of the multicultural values of the European states.

Now, let us look at the models of multiculturalism in different European countries.