The book explores the work of key political philosophers such as Kymlicka, Barry and Kukathas, and draws on a range of real-world examples to illustrate its arguments. It provides a critique of the tendency to reify cultural identity in political thinking, particularly through an examination of contemporary liberalism. In its place, the author develops a deliberative alternative, which views the politics of cultural diversity as a fallible process of negotiation, argument and compromise. He confronts objections that this alternative itself presupposes a homogenous political community, and that it offers an unrealistic or oppressive vision of politics.

'Negotiating Diversity is surely one of the best introductions on the political theory of multiculturalism.'

JURA GENTIUM, Centro di filosofia del diritto internazionale e della politica globale

Matthew Festenstein is Reader in Politics at the University of Sheffield.