|
|
This is a limited free preview of this book. Please buy full access.
Foreword
Coming at no better time, this book is perfectly placed to help unravel some of the great ongoing puzzles and debates in international political economy, economic development, and international relations. At contention is the role of political-cultural diversity as an agent of change within society.
Is political-cultural (ethno-linguistic) diversity a problem for society because of its possible negative impact on electoral consensus and social harmony? This is the contention, in particular, of those scholars in political science today who see ethno-linguistic fractionalization as generating points of conflict and polarization, thus undermining the foundations of democracy, especially in the large state where heterogeneity is thought to be greatest. Or, is political-cultural diversity instead a source of rich inspiration and output, both within the framework of democracy and within the framework of the economic market-place? According to this view, diversity opens up avenues for discourse, creates the potential for greater specialization, destroys local monopolies, and catalyses new idea.