Anita Bhakat
Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, West Bengal State University
E-mail: anitabhakat17@gmail.com
Issue: Volume 2 No. 1 (March 2026) Anubodhan
Received: 24 March 2026 / Accepted: 29 March 2026 / Published: 31 March 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.026
Abstract
This study presents a comparative analysis of pluralist and liberal approaches to multiculturalism, focusing on the contributions of Bhikhu Parekh, Will Kymlicka, and Charles Taylor. The primary objective is to examine Parekh’s pluralist conception of multiculturalism and situate it within the framework of hegemony, as theorised by Antonio Gramsci (Hoare and smith, Selections from prison notebooks,1971; Parekh, Rethinking Multiculturalism, 2000). The paper argues that Parekh’s pluralist account provides a more flexible and context-sensitive understanding of cultural diversity compared to the liberal tradition, which tends to emphasise individual rights and group-differentiated citizenship (Kymlicka, Multicultural citizenship,1995). By contrast, Parekh foregrounds intercultural dialogue, mutual respect, and the coexistence of diverse cultural communities within a shared political framework (Parekh, Rethinking Multiculturalism, 2000). Drawing on Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, particularly as articulated in the Prison Notebooks, the study explores the cultural and ideological grounds of civil society, which fulfil both common and private interests of citizens. In addition, Gramsci highlights the fluidity or historically contingent nature of culture, the dialogical or reciprocal relationship between popular (subaltern social groups) and high cultures (culture of elites), and the plural institutions of civil society in shaping socio-political and economic power relations (Hoare and smith, Selections from prison notebooks,1971; Hoare & Sperber, An introduction to Antonio Gramsci, 2016). Furthermore, the paper demonstrates how multicultural theorists address cultural conflicts through the lenses of pluralism, diversity, and ideological structures embedded in civil society. By linking Parekh’s pluralist multiculturalism with Gramscian hegemony, the study underscores the importance of developing an inclusive and dialogic cultural framework that challenges domination and contributes to the realisation of a more equitable and oppression-free society (Hall, Representation, 1997; Young, Justice and the politics of difference, 1990).
Keywords: Multiculturalism; Diversity; Pluralism; Civil Society; Hegemony
How to cite: Bhakat, A. (2026). The Relevance of Multiculturalism in Antonio Gramsci’s Concept of Hegemony. Anubodhan, 2(1), 270–285. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.026