Ethnic Minorities in the Modern Nation State: Working Papers in the Theory of Multiculturalism and Political Integration

269 Pages·1996·14.331 MB·English

by  John Rex

ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE MODERN
NATION STATE
MIGRATION, MINORITIES AND CITIZENSHIP
General Editors: Zig Layton-Henry, Professor of Politics and Head,
Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick and
Daniele Joly, Lecturer in Politics, Centre for Research in Ethnic
Relations, University of Warwick
This new series has been developed to promote books on a wide range of
topics concerned with migration and settlement, immigration policy,
refugees, the integration and engagement of minorities, dimensions of
social exclusion, racism and xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, ethnicity
and nationalism. The focus of the series is multidisciplinary and
international, and both theoretical and empirical works based on original
research are included.
Ethnic Minorities in the
Modern Nation State
Working Papers in the Theory of
Multiculturalism and Political Integration
John Rex
Professor Emeritus
University of Warwick
Coventry
palgrave
in association with
CENTRE FOR RESEARCH IN ETHNIC RELATIONS
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
First published in Great Britain 1996 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingsloke, Hampshire RG2I 6XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
ISBN 0-333-65019-0 hardcover
ISBN O-333-6502O-4 paperback
First published in the United States of America 1996 by
ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC..
Scholarly and Reference Division,
173 Fifth Avenue,
New York. N.Y. 10010
ISBN 0-312-12923-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rex, John.
Ethnic minorities in the modem nation state: working papers in the
theory of multiculturalism and political integration / John Rex.
p. cm. — (Migration, minorities and citizenship)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-312-12923-8 (doth)
1. Minorities—Political activity. 2. Ethnic groups—Political
activity. 3. Multiculturalism. 4. Pluralism (Social sciences)
S. Nationalism. 6. Ethnic relations. 7. Race relations.
I. Title. II. Series.
JF1O61.R49 1996
305.8—dc20 95-35009
CIP
© John Rex 1996
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of
this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or
transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with
the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,
or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court
Road, London WIP9HE.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil
claims for damages.
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Antony Rowe Ltd, Eastbourne
Transferred to digital printing 2001
In honour of the late
Reverend Michael Scott
and of all he did in South Africa and the world
at large to promote the ideal and the reality of
ethnic and racial justice

Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction 1
1 The Concept of a Multicultural Society 11
2 The Political Sociology of a Multicultural Society 30
3 Conceptual and Practical Problems of
Multiculturalism in Europe 49
4 Ethnic Minorities and the Nation State: The Political
Sociology of Multicultural Societies 77
5 Transnational Migrant Communities and Ethnic
Minorities in Modern Multicultural Societies 96
6 Multiculturalism in Europe and North America 114
7 The Integration of Formerly Dominant Ethnic
Minorities in a Democratic Multicultural Society 132
8 The Potentiality for Conflict between National and
Minority Cultures 149
9 Anti-Racism and Ethnic Mobilisation in Europe 168
10 Ethnic and Class Conflict in Europe 187
11 Religion in the Theory of Ethnicity 200
12 The Integration of Muslim Immigrants in Britain 216
Bibliography 241
Index 246
VII

Acknowledgements
The chapters of this book have arisen out of papers which I have
given during the last few years of my Research Professorship and
since my retirement. They are, however, very far from being the
'pipe and slippers' reflections of an old man. Rather they have
arisen in sharp engagement with colleagues over some of the most
difficult political issues facing Britain and Europe today and
represent some of my own central political concerns.
These were not the issues which preoccupied so-called race
relations research in Britain and they formed no part of the research
programme of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations between
1984 and 1994. In these circumstances I owe a special debt to the
University of Warwick for giving me a room and facilities in the
Centre, and for allowing these privileges to continue in the five
years since my retirement, and to the Economic and Social Research
Council for two personal grants under the small grants scheme.
Amongst colleagues in the Centre the closest to me in terms of my
interests was Beatrice Drury and I am very grateful to her for the
intellectual stimulation and personal support she offered me. Cathie
Lloyd kept me in touch with the thcorisation of ethnic relations by
the French Left and I should also like to thank Danielc Joly without
whose passionate opposition to racism, inequality and injustice the
Centre would be a drearier place. My grateful thanks also to the
two assistants who worked with me under my grants, John King
and Yunus Samad. The so-called support staff were also important
to me and by no means only for the technical assistance which they
offered. Anne Shaw not only ran a fine Resource Centre but also on
occasions helped me with skilled advice on my English. Liz Doyle-
Saul was for a while my personal secretary, and someone whom I
miss greatly since she left for another post. Rose Goodwin has
handled this and many other typescripts for me with care and
patience and Sam Hundal and Claudctte Brennan have also given
me help whenever I have asked for it.
Much of the stimulation and provocation which led to these
papers, however, has been provided by my European and American
IX