Multiculturalism appears to be in terminal crisis It has been blamed for undermining national identity diluting social cohesion creating ethnic ghettos & cultural fragmentation providing fertile ground for Islamic radicalism encouraging perverse 'political correctness' & restricting liberal freedoms of expression amongst other things The public debate over multiculturalism has polarised opinion amongst the general public policy makers & politicians But how much real evidence beyond tabloid headlines & anecdotes exists for these claims? In this Very Short Introduction Ali Rattansi considers the actual evidence from social science research to provide a balanced assessment of the truth & falsity of the charges against multiculturalism Dispelling many myths in the process he also warns about the dangers that lurk in an uncritical endorsement of multiculturalism & concludes by arguing that it is time to move on to a form of 'interculturalism' ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable