Cultural pluralism from liberal perfectionist premises

This article offers a critical assessment of some recent liberal perfectionist arguments for the value of cultural identity and cultural membership, in particular the arguments of Joseph Rat and Will Kymlicka. Because these writers ask how cultural membership and identity may contribute to good lives-and think this a proper question for political philosophy to address-it seems possible that they may more readily contribute to strategies for securing respect and recognition for cultural minorities than other liberals. But although their acknowledgement of the value of cultural identity and membership represents an advance over neutral or political liberal approaches, liberal perfectionists are mistaken in viewing these features as important primarily insofar as they furnish agents with the capacities and contexts necessary for personal autonomy. While this argument may supply reasons for protecting vulnerable cultures that are liberal in character it precludes the prospect of accommodating non-liberal cultural groups whose practices and beliefs conflict with liberal ideals and sensibilities.