The Problem of Identity and Multiculturalism

Mordernity raised on the indivudual who constructed his own self and the nation-state became the political organization of this individual. However, the nation-state that claims to be based on homogeneous race, language and culture has produced many “others” and caused fatal sorrows. With the second part of the 20. century, the subject and the nation-state underwent weakining. The placement of the subject in history, culture and a context gave rise to a perception according to which he/she was a product of their environment. Therefore it was accepted that the commitments that encompass the subject such as language, culture, religion were effective factors in the process of the making of the identity. The logical result of this acceptance is that the individuals who are deprived of their commitments feel an ontological imperfection and disintegration. That’s why the politics of the identity, recognition and muliculturalism that demands some respect and rights for those with different culture, language etc. the nation-state has usually supressed instead of discerning has gained an important position in the political theory of the postmodern world.