Multiculturalism in a (Post)Crisological Society: From Wrong Acception to a New Pluralistic Sociey-Building Approach
Multiculturalism in a (Post)Crisological Society: From Wrong Acception to a New Pluralistic Sociey-Building Approach

Summary/Abstract: In the last few decades, multiculturalism, in Western countries, and in Macedonia since 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement, has been frequently used in theoretical and public debates in the field of cultural policies in terms of whether there should be a stratification of cultures (dominant and secondary) or cultural relativism (every culture is important and deserves equal treatment). This paper, which comprises of a descriptive-analytical and empirical-quantitative part, aims at producing an objective overview of the perceptions of citizens of Kumanovo in relation to plural identities in this town, to the relations with the others, the otherness, communication, mutual trust, socio-economic conditions, the impact of indicators such as the media, politicians, education, family, etc., upon the ethnical cohabitation-frustration. The results of our field research (surveys, interviews) show that it is necessary to invest a lot more in building cultural bridges, in making citizens with liberal approach and tolerant life philosophy, which would help in having a more active cohabitation and minimization of the current static coexistence of the type one next to the other as well as prevention of the establishment of concentric circles based on ethnicity and/or religiosity and their replacement with active multiculturalism.

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