New Politics of Identity: Political Principles for an Interdependent World / Edition 1

by Bhikhu Parekh

Overview

Globalization puts a severe strain on the ethnic, religious, national and other identities by which we have traditionally defined ourselves and which have given us a sense of rootedness and belonging. In this challenging new book Bhikhu Parekh assesses the fate of a range of identities and considers how these could be reconstituted in a global age. He argues that they need to be integrated within a universal human identity and shows how we can be both rooted and open, belong to both particular communities and to humankind in general. In so doing he exposes the contradictions of religious fundamentalism, terrorism and the war on terror, and provides a new agenda for globally orientated citizenship.

About the Author:
Bhikhu Parekh is Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Westminster, UK

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2901403906471
Publication date:	05/01/2008
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

BHIKHU PAREKH is Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Westminster.
BHIKHU PAREKH is Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Westminster.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     viii
Introduction     1
The Concept of Identity     8
Personal identity     10
Social identity     15
Plurality of social identities     21
Human identity     26
Dialectic of identities     28
The Politics of Collective Identity     31
A mixed blessing     33
Dealing with its dangers     37
Recognition and redistribution     41
Complementarity     43
Interdependence     48
A bifocal theory of justice     53
National Identity     56
The importance of national identity     56
The identity of the political community     59
National identity crisis     65
Canada     69
Germany     72
Developing countries     74
Some observations     77
Multicultural Society and the Convergence of Identities     80
Assimilation     82
Integration     84
A moral contract     87
Society's responses     89
Convergence of identities     95
European Liberalism and the 'Muslim Question'     99
Emergence of Muslim identity     99
European anxiety     103
A critique     106
Accommodating religion     113
Defending liberal society     117
Islam and multicultural society     121
Muslim youth     123
The Pathology of Religious Identity     130
Scriptural literalism     131
Fundamentalism     140
Specificity of fundamentalism     148
Challenges of the Multicultural World     152
Clash of civilizations     152
A critique     156
The case for dialogue     165
Globalization and Culture     181
The cultural impact of globalization     186
US hegemony and national culture     193
Regulating cultural imports     199
Principles of Global Ethics     204
The historical specificity of global ethics     204
Basis of a global ethics     209
Equal worth     216
Principles     225
Moralities of Partiality and Impartiality     228
Special relationships     228
Partiality and impartiality     230
Resolving the tension      234
Citizenship in the Global Age     239
Exclusivist paradigm     239
Globally orientated citizenship     244
Humanitarian intervention     252
Promoting Democracy     259
What is democracy?     261
Universal validity     265
A duty to promote democracy     269
Ways of promoting democracy     270
Notes     279
Bibliography     302
Index     313

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

In this wide-ranging and clearly argued book, Bhikhu Parekh shows how identity lies at the heart of modern democratic politics, both domestically and on a global scale. His careful analysis and limpid style cast new light on the most troubled issues of our time.' - Charles Taylor, McGill University

'Bhikhu Parekh has written one of the most important studies of globalization yet produced. He traces out with great skill the massive implications for personal and collective identity of living in a more interdependent world and the need for - and problems of creating - a 'global ethics'.' - Anthony Giddens, formerly London School of Economics

'A brilliant contribution to understanding the troubled and troubling politics of identity from one of those rare thinkers capable of bridging the academic and political worlds.... He has written a book for our times, must reading for political theorists and practioners alike.' - Benjamin R. Barber, University of Maryland and DEMOS (New York), and author of Jihad vs. McWorld, Strong Democracy and Consumed

'A profound meditation on how to be truly human in an increasingly dehumanised and globalised world.' Ziauddin Sardar, The New Statesman - Books of the Year 2008