All over Western Europe, the lot of many non-Western immigrants is one of marginalization, discrimination, and increasing segregation. In this bold and controversial book, Unni Wikan shows how an excessive respect for "their culture" has been part of the problem. Culture has become a new concept of race, sustaining ethnic identity politics that subvert human rights especially for women and children. Fearful of being considered racist, state agencies have sacrificed freedom and equality in the name of culture.
Comparing her native Norway to Western Europe and the United States, Wikan...