This paper addresses the question “Is there a Nordic version of multiculturalism?”, first explored at a conference at The University of Turku in 2010.  The question arises from the need for the world’s industrial nations to find new strategies for incorporating ethnic minorities into the mainstream of their respective societies, a process in which education plays a central role. Multiculturalism, it is claimed, is both controversial and misunderstood.  It comes in a number of versions, reflecting the distinctive imprint of different societal cultures and political systems. Pihl (2010) argues that we need a framework for analysis that transcends the nation state. She adds that taking 'identity ' and 'culture' as primary ontological concepts is not helpful because they can be used indiscriminately by both sides in an argument. She suggests taking 'difference' as the primary ontological concept, then 'all' are different. Similarly, Faist (2006) suggests that rather than use ascriptive categories (e.g. gender, age, ethnicity) we should look instead at worldviews, dispositions, capabilities etc.

Bayliss, P. & Dillon, P. 2010. Cosmologies and lifestyles: a cultural ecological framework and its implications for education systems, Anthropological Journal of European Cultures, 19 (2), 7-21. Dillon, P., Bayliss, P., Stolpe, I. & Bayliss, L. (2008) What constitutes ‘context’ in sociocultural research. How the Mongolian experience challenges theory, Transtext(e)sTranscultures, 4, 18-31. Faist, T. (2006) Cultural Logics of Transnational Migration, pp. 51-68 in Council of Europe (ed.), The Challenge of Transcultural Diversities: Transversal Study on the Theme of Cultural Policy and Cultural Diversity. Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing. Pihl, J. (2010) Theoretical reflections on criticism of multiculturalism, paper presented at ‘Is there a Nordic version of multiculturalism?’ Conference, Turku, Finland, September 2010.