The debate over multiculturalism, reinvigorated by the UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s remarks, has exposed some deep-seated misconceptions. Critics argue that questioning multiculturalism is tantamount to opposing diversity, conflating the policy of multiculturalism with the lived reality of a multi-ethnic society. This blurring of lines not only obscures the shortcomings of state-sponsored multiculturalism but also perpetuates an insidious form of racism.

One of the most glaring mistakes made by critics is equating multiculturalism with multi-ethnicity. Living in a multi-ethnic society is not the same as adopting a multicultural approach. The latter promotes cultural differences at the expense of shared values, placing individuals into specific ethnic or cultural boxes. This categorisation inevitably magnifies differences rather than commonalities.

Emphasising cultural diversity can sometimes foster social divisions, turning multi-ethnic neighbourhoods into areas where people “stick to their own kind.”

State multiculturalism champions identity politics, a framework that encourages us to engage with each other primarily through the lens of race, gender, or religion. While this may be well-intentioned, it can backfire by reducing complex individuals to single, immutable characteristics.

Under the guise of giving voice to minority communities, multicultural policies have often empowered certain self-appointed “community leaders” to speak on behalf of entire groups. These individuals become the “authentic voices” of specific ethnic communities, a move that further cements divisions within and between different groups.

A 2017 study publioshed in the journal Sciology has highlighted the risks of such state-sponsored cultural representation. It argues that this strategy inadvertently supports conservative or even extremist elements within minority communities while sidelining more progressive voices.

One of the most pernicious myths that state multiculturalism perpetuates is the idea that people from certain ethnic backgrounds form a homogenous cultural block. Such an assumption is not only flawed but also racist, effectively erasing individual identities.

Kenan Malik, a left-wing author, has shown that multiculturalism has even had a divisive effect within minority communities. Asian Youth Movements of the late 1970s, which united young British Asians against state racism, eventually lost momentum due to the rise of multiculturalism. Policies aimed at cultural preservation diverted focus from political issues to religious and cultural ones, eroding the broader struggle against systemic racism.

It’s ironic that the liberal-left, traditionally the champions of universal rights and equality, now stand as the staunch defenders of a divisive ideology. They are willing to sacrifice individual freedoms and social cohesion for an abstract idea of cultural diversity, ignoring the complex realities of contemporary Britain.

The problem with state multiculturalism is that it promises to foster unity through diversity but ends up doing just the opposite. The policy’s shortcomings are neither a rejection of diversity nor an endorsement of racial prejudice. Instead, they are a call to re-examine an approach that is proving increasingly ineffective and, in some instances, counterproductive in achieving genuine integration.

Isabelle Thompson, PhD is a sociologist focusing on community relations and integration.