Paul Thomas : Youth, Multiculturalism and Community Cohesion

Book Review: This book makes an important and much needed contribution to the debates about the malaise with multiculturalism in Britain, which gained momentum in the aftermath of the riots in Northern English cities and towns in 2001, namely Oldham, Burnley and Bradford. Paul Thomas fills a conspicuous gap in the literature on multiculturalism by bringing into sharp focus recent Community Cohesion policies to generate incisive analyses of their impact on conceptions of cultural diversity and 'race relations' among young people and their communities. Of particular significance are the narrative accounts captured through dialogue with young people of different ethnic backgrounds in youth work settings, to elicit their perceptions and definitions of their own identities as well as those of others.