Synopsis

The world faces a polycrisis with the convergence of multiple geopolitical, economic, and social challenges. The global uncertainty, alongside the decline in US hegemony and the rupture to a rule-based international system, have reinforced distinct societal structures organised with different cultural dynamics in mind. While traditional moral principles on civic liberty and democracy remain pivotal to good governance, there is a preference among some nation-states to assign greater attention to collective priorities over individual and/or tribal interests.  The definitions of integration and cohesion and the approach to managing diversity in these societies have therefore embraced a different set of calculus that reflects the unique values, and demographic and political contours of the land. This event will discuss how multiculturalism, integration, and cohesion is conceptualised and experienced in existing and emerging plural societies – specifically on issues related to ethnicity, religion, and immigration. We will also draw attention to how the evolving global power rivalry shape multicultural ideologies and practice, and the new perspectives to forging stronger, more resilient societies given the seismic changes of our times.

Major Themes 

Multiculturalism
What are the key measures of diversity in society and how have the metrices evolved?
Should the State define and influence the discourse in multiculturalism?
How may (or had) global affairs alter(ed) the narratives of pluralism?

Integration
What are the culture-specific indicators of integration?
What factors drive inclusive behaviours in one society but exclusion in another?
Have we become more exclusionary over time?

Cohesion
How is social cohesion defined across cultures, and what are the trade-offs in societies with different multicultural ideologies?
What are the implications for a multipolar world to social cohesion?
Should/must individual/ civic autonomy be curtailed for collective cohesion?