Multiculturalism and Problems of Cultural Essentialism

Abstract

This paper examines problems of cultural essentialism in the context of multiculturalism.Cultural essentialism was identified in the debates both by pro-multiculturalists and antimulticulturalists. Following the arguments presented by Taylor, Bhabha and Young, the notion of cultural essentialism, in which cultures are monolithic with their authenticity and defined boundaries, is problematic and seen to require deconstruction. Thoroughgoing deconstruction of identity itself is not the ultimate goal of multiculturalism. However, the necessity of employing strategic essentialism in each individual context was considered as it may provide a new path to multiculturalism. The above discussion also leads us to explore whether the people in this field recognize Japanese society as diverse or homogeneous. The notion of diasporic hybridity and insights related to gender are suggested as a new valid conceptual framework for multiculturalism, as it has a potential to replace the notions of nationality and ethnicity.