Can multiculturalists be egalitarians and should egalitarians be
multiculturalists? Is the absence of cultural recognition an
injustice in the same way as the absence of individual rights or
basic resources? These are some of the questions considered in this
wide-ranging series of essays inspired by the political philosopher
Brian Barry.

Multiculturalist political theorists and policy-makers argue
that liberal egalitarianism fails to take seriously the role of
culture and group identity in defining harms and cases of
injustice. Because liberal egalitarians adopt a culturally neutral
account of what principles and institutions of justice should
distribute, they ignore an important way in which these norms
actually reinforce injustice rather than eradicate it. A whole host
of thinkers have used liberal egalitarianism's neutrality on
issues of culture to criticize contemporary theories of justice.
This multicultural challenge to liberal egalitarianism has recently
received a forceful response from Barry in his book Culture and
Equality.

Drawing on an international cast from Britain, the USA, Canada
and Australia, Multiculturalism Reconsidered puts Barry's challenge
to the test. With contributions from Chandran Kukathas, James
Tully, Bhikhu Parekh, Susan Mendus and Ian Shapiro, amongst others,
and a response from Brian Barry, this book ranges widely over the
issues raised by multiculturalism and egalitarianism.

This book will prove an indispensable resource for all those who
wish to locate themselves in debates about equality, culture,
identity and group rights.