Bekanntlich gehOrt es zu den guten Gepflogenheiten des akademischen Lebens, an den Anfang einer Monographie eine Danksagungsliste zu setzen. Die Befolgung einer solchen Konvention kommt allerdings nicht zwangslaufig einem mehr oder weniger pflichtgemaBen Tribut an die eingespielte Etikette gleich; sie kann durchaus den Geboten der Ehrlichkeit entsprechen. Bei der Arbeit an der Dissertation, aus der dieses Buch hervorgegangen ist, habe ich vieif

How is solidarity achieved in highly diverse societies - particularly those that have been until recently characterized by rather homogeneous populations? What are the implications of growing levels of diversity on existing social arrangements? These two fundamental questions are explored in this edited collection, which examines the challenges of minority integration in four Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. These nations represent paradigmatic examples of social democratic welfare states that place a premium on a robust package of social rights, combined with policies aimed at reducing levels of class-based inequality and promoting gender equity. All four of these nations have witnessed growing levels of diversity due to immigration and three of them have been forced to rethink their policies concerning the indigenous Sami, as well as old minority groups. Two introductory chapters, by Thomas Hylland Eriksen and Peter Kivisto, serve as a conceptual framework for the seven case studies that follow, and which, from a variety of perspectives and with differing emphases, analyze the evolving realities in these nations today. Taken together, they offer evidence of the critical issues surrounding attempts to achieve solidarity while valorizing diversity.

The European Union's motto 'United in Diversity' contrasts with the cultural standardization entailed in the formation of nation-states and the forging of political identities in Europe. So what does being 'united in diversity' mean? Focusing on language politics and policies, this book offers a thorough assessment of the implications of cultural and linguistic diversity for the process of constructing a European polity. It sheds light on some of the most pressing problems associated with contemporary identity politics. It is often claimed that the recurrent celebration of diversity in Europe's programmatic declarations has an effective political impact. Kraus offers a critical analysis of how the EU has responded to the normative challenge of creating an institutional frame for integration which allows cultural differences to be transcended without ignoring them.