Democracy and cultural diversities: notes for the debate

Abstract

Introduction: the relationship between cultural diversities and democracy as a problematic field of political and conceptual order, reveals a new axis of discussion regarding the renewed vigor that in certain variables of the political left and right took the issue of diversity as a substrate of democratic development. However, several critical visions, from sociology and political science, question the emancipatory potentialities of this link, to the extent that behind the debate on diversity, deeper contradictions are made invisible. Objectives: This paper has two objectives: first, to obtain a state of the discussion from a short critical review of the theoretical premises that have defined the debate on the relationship between democracy and cultural diversities. The classic debate between the multiculturalist approach and liberal pluralism will be considered. Second, to explain why the way in which cultural demands are processed can contribute to the processes of depoliticization of contemporary societies. Methodology: Qualitative documentary and bibliographic review. Results: This document, after a brief review of the classic debate on that topic, proposes an analysis of how commitment to cultural diversity can become a process of depoliticization in contemporary societies. Conclusions: it is necessary to ponder how and to what extent the system manages to unload and deflate the conflict on the meaning of the social and political order, under the apogee of (multi) cultural and post-class demands. General area of study: Social Sciences. Specific area of study: Sociology. Type of article: Narrative bibliographic review.