Creating mutual identification and solidarity in highly diversified societies. The importance of identification by shared participation |
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Authors: | Patrick Loobuyck |
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Institution: | University of Antwerp, Centre Pieter Gillis, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium, patrick.loobuyck@ua.ac.be |
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Abstract: | AbstractLike the liberal nationalists, we insist that a sense of belonging together is necessary for the practice of an egalitarian democracy. Therefore, we can take a shared national identity as one of the building blocks of the welfare state. However, we argue that a shared cultural or civic national identity can not be a necessary condition for this sense of belonging together. The mere fact of co-operation and common participation in shared activities and projects can create a sense of belonging together, regardless of whether the participants do share a national identity. Governments of diversified societies can try to establish a shared national culture, but equally important is their task to create a sense of belonging together by virtue of co-operation and shared participation. It is particularly important that people can meet each other, and therefore efforts by the government to establish social mix and a common language may be legitimate policies. |
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