Democratic Equality in a Populist Anti-Multicultural Era

This article explores what the future role of multiculturalism is, or may be, in Europe by looking at the case of the Netherlands. It focuses on how to respond to the tensions between, on the one hand, prevalent discourses on the dangers, demise and reckoning of multiculturalism and, on the other hand, the promotion of equal citizenship and liberal-democratic values. In particular, it observes that in the Netherlands ‘new realist’ anti-multicultural discourses continue to produce historical and normative inaccuracies about multiculturalism in public perception that not only undermine equal citizenship in the context of diversity but also erode liberal democracy. To address this, it is argued that although there is no need to centralize the term ‘multiculturalism’ (again) to politicize the value of equal citizenship, it is important that certain historical and normative misconceptions about it are rectified. Furthermore, it is essential to recognize ‘new realism’ as part of the broader shift towards illiberal democracy in Europe. Therefore, in response, it is insufficient to propose a new concept to replace multiculturalism or to refine specific multicultural frameworks; instead, a broader liberal-democratic critique of new realism is required.