Will Kymlicka is a Canadian political philosopher. He is a leader in the field of philosophy of multiculturalism. Kymlicka received his B.A. in philosophy and politics from Queen's University in 1984, and his D.Phil. in philosophy from Oxford University in 1987 under the direction of G.A. Cohen. He has written and edited several books on culture, race, minority language rights, and politics; these, and his other works have been extensively translated. He is currently (2004) a philosophy professor at Queen's University. He previously taught at a number of universities in Canada and the US and worked as an advisor to the Canadian Government. Kymlicka is also a regular visitor at the Central European University. Politics is the process by which decisions are made within groups. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Multiculturalism is an ideology advocating that society should consist of, or at least allow and include, distinct cultural groups, with equal status. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Politics is the process by which individuals or relatively small groups attempt to exert influence over the actions of an organization. ... Queens University, or simply Queens, is a coeducational, nonsectarian university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, on the edge of Lake Ontario. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gerald Allen Cohen, (born 1941) is the Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory, All Souls College, Oxford. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Central European University is a US-licensed and accredited university based in Budapest, Hungary. ...

One of his main concerns throughout his work is providing a liberal framework for the just treatment of minority groups, which he divides into two basic categories: polyethnic or immigrant groups, and national minorities (such as the Canadian Quebecois, or the Māori of New Zealand). He lists criteria for national minorities or "minority nations." 1)present at founding; 2) prior history of self-government; 3) Common culture; 4) common language; 5) governing selves through institutions. By this criterion the two "minority nations" in Canada are the Aboriginal population and the Quebecouis. In addition to the two groups covered by this distinction, Kymlicka acknowledges the problems faced by refugees, whether from conflict or poverty, and by such minority groups such as African-Americans (whose heritage in America clearly did not begin voluntarily). Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of... In Canadian English, a Québécois (IPA: ) is a native or resident of the province of Quebec, Canada, especially a French-speaking one. ... The word Māori refers to the indigenous people of New Zealand and to their language. ...

In Multicultural Citizenship, Kymlicka argues that group-specific rights are consistent with liberalism, and are particularly appropriate, if not outright demanded, in certain situations. He defines three such group-specific rights: special group representation rights (such as affirmative action policies in politics); self-government rights; and polyethnic rights (such as the policy exempting Sikhs from having to wear motorcycle helmets). A Sikh (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is an adherent of Sikhism. ...

A distinction that Kymlicka draws, which is crucial to his liberal defense of group-specific rights for minorities, is between external protection and internal restrictions. Kymlicka argues that external protections between groups may be justified in order to promote equality (though they must not allow for oppression or exploitation, as in apartheid in South Africa). Internal restrictions, however, cannot be justified from a liberal perspective, insofar as they restrict a person's autonomy, though they may be granted in certain cases to national minorities. A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...

Selected publications

• Immigration, Multiculturalism, and the Welfare State (Ethics & International Affairs, Volume 20.3 Fall 2006)
• Politics in the Vernacular: Nationalism, Multiculturalism, Citizenship (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). ISBN 0-19-924098-1
• Finding Our Way: Rethinking Ethnocultural Relations in Canada (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998). ISBN 0-19-541314-8
• Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995). ISBN 0-19-829091-8
• Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990/2001). ISBN 0-19-878274-8
• Liberalism, Community, and Culture (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989/1991). ISBN 0-19-827871-3

See also

• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory

Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... This is an (partial) overview of individuals that contributed to the development of liberal theory on a worldwide scale and therefore are strongly associated with the liberal tradition and instrumental in the exposition of political liberalism as a philosophy. ...

External links

• Home Page
• Resources from Carnegie Council