Ethnic Group Tours

Multiculturalism is closely associated with identity politics, or political and social movements that have group identity as the basis of their formation and the focus of their political action. Those movements attempt to further the interests of their group members and force issues important to their group members into the public sphere. However, in contrast to multiculturalism, identity politics is based on the shared identity of participants rather than on a specifically shared culture. However, both identity politics and multiculturalism often have in common the demand for recognition and redress for past inequities.

Multiculturalism raises important questions for citizens, public administrators, and political leaders about balancing recognition for groups with the interests of the entire society. By asking for recognition of and respect for cultural differences, multiculturalism provides one possible response to the question of how to increase the participation of previously oppressed groups.