Ethnopluralism

Ethnopluralism is a theoretical concept of the so-called New Right. The term is derived from the Greek ethnos „people“ and the Latin pluralis „plural“ and propagates the diversity of peoples. The term, coined by Eichberg, is also referred to as „racism without races.“ The core of the theory is the assumption of fundamental, unchangeable characteristics of groups of people. In addition, ethnopluralists emphasize that each group is stronger the more similar its members are to each other. A biologistic line of reasoning takes a back seat, while rather unique cultural identities are reinforced (cf. Kellershohn 2016, 284-286).

Ethnopluralism – cultural racism

This is a racism „that – at least at first glance – no longer postulates the superiority of certain groups or peoples over others, but ‚confines‘ itself to asserting the harmfulness of any blurring of boundaries and the incompatibility of ways of life and traditions“ (Balibar 1990, 28). Concepts of ‚race‘ are replaced by conceptual placeholders such as ‚culture‘ or ‚ethnicity‘ to make old concepts seem modernized. However, these expressions have similar connotations as race, which is why racism research also speaks of a transition from genetic to cultural racism (cf. Hall 2000, 11).

Heterogeneity is denied

According to philosopher Étienne Balibar, ethnopluralism is a racism „whose dominant theme is no longer biological heredity but the irrevocability of cultural differences“ (Hall 2000, 11). This is because „with reference to anthropological, ethnological, and psychological findings, the objectivity of a diversity and inequality of peoples-in the differentialist sense-is emphasized“ (Lausberg 2013, 173). No longer is the superiority of one’s own culture or nation propagated, but rather „fixed cultural-territorial units […] are homogenized as cultural circles. Heterogeneity within the grasped cultures is thereby denied as well as historical connections and continuity between the constructed units.“

Literature

Balibar, Étienne (1990): Is there a „neo-racism“? In: Balibar, Étienne/ Wallerstein, Immanuel (eds.): Race, Class, Nation. Ambivalent Identities. Hamburg: Argument, 23-39.

Hall, Stuart (2000): Racism as ideological discourse. In: Räthzel, Nora (ed.): Theories on racism. Hamburg: Argument, 7-16.

Kellershohn, Helmut (2016): Umvolkung. In: Gießelmann, Bente/ Heun, Robin/ Kerst, Benjamin et al (eds.): Handwörterbuch rechtsextremistischer Kampfbegriffe. Schwalbach: Wochenschau Verlag, 284-286.

Lausberg, Michael (2013): The topic of migration in Junge Freiheit and Deutsche Stimme. In: Kellershohn, Helmut (ed.): Die deutsche Stimme in der jungen Freiheit. Münster: Unrast, 164-194.