The Elgar Companion to the Arts and Global Multiculturalism

This Companion examines the evolution of multiculturalism as a political philosophy, public policy and cultural practice. Demonstrating the key role of artists, activists and migrants in the inception of multiculturalism, it explores how to renew the concept for the modern world, extending the possibilities of social belonging and communal relations.

Expert contributing authors survey the development of multicultural ideals through art across different geopolitical contexts, highlighting how these ideas have challenged founding myths of the nation state. They analyse the subsequent adoption of multiculturalism by state agencies, leading to the emergence of new forms of welfare, education and culture services. Responding to populist scepticism surrounding the concept, the Companion underscores the dynamic contribution multicultural art and activism has made to the pursuit of social justice, highlighting in particular its links to Indigenous communities, cosmopolitanism and transnational spaces.



The Elgar Companion to the Arts and Global Multiculturalism is an essential resource for students and scholars of cultural studies, sociology, art history, migration, globalization and political theory. It is also a key resource for policymakers seeking to incorporate multicultural ideals into their work.