It's a shame that Britain's fear of the "terror threat" has been the thing to focus minds on culture, identity and inclusion.
Last month's report by the military thinktank the Royal United Services Institute apportioned some blame on multiculturalism for undermining efforts to tackle extremism. Though a defence-focused report it holds some serious considerations for cultural bodies.
The report says that multiculturalism has caused divisions in society. The talk is of a "fragmented" society and "misplaced deference to multiculturalism". The authors, a London School of Economics professor and Lord Salisbury, believe that Britain is going through a crisis of confidence and an inability to stand up for its beliefs.
Hence prime minister Gordon Brown's proposal for a museum of Britain - to bring to the fore British values - with the hope that a shared culture will be adopted by all communities who settle here.
But Britain hasn't shown the rest of the world a lot of respect over years of colonisation and rape of resources and is still failing at it now. Migrants may choose Britain, but it isn't because of recognition of a shared value system.
Brown's museum would have to tackle Britain's world domination from the viewpoint of the colonised as well as coloniser. There are already great doubts that this would happen. And when we start using language like "laying down the line to immigrant communities" - as the report does - mutual respect is all but over.
Racist incidents such as last month's attack on the newly opened Stephen Lawrence Centre, an educational trust to help less advantaged young people find careers, often leave affected communities feeling separate rather than part of the value system that treats them as less than equal.
Following the attack there were calls for a fresh inquiry into how institutionally racist Britain's public services are. Perhaps that's a better way of bringing equality, respect and inclusion, rather than fearing the threat of "the other" and their ability to damage Britain's sense of identity.
Last month's report by the military thinktank the Royal United Services Institute apportioned some blame on multiculturalism for undermining efforts to tackle extremism. Though a defence-focused report it holds some serious considerations for cultural bodies.
The report says that multiculturalism has caused divisions in society. The talk is of a "fragmented" society and "misplaced deference to multiculturalism". The authors, a London School of Economics professor and Lord Salisbury, believe that Britain is going through a crisis of confidence and an inability to stand up for its beliefs.
Hence prime minister Gordon Brown's proposal for a museum of Britain - to bring to the fore British values - with the hope that a shared culture will be adopted by all communities who settle here.
But Britain hasn't shown the rest of the world a lot of respect over years of colonisation and rape of resources and is still failing at it now. Migrants may choose Britain, but it isn't because of recognition of a shared value system.
Brown's museum would have to tackle Britain's world domination from the viewpoint of the colonised as well as coloniser. There are already great doubts that this would happen. And when we start using language like "laying down the line to immigrant communities" - as the report does - mutual respect is all but over.
Racist incidents such as last month's attack on the newly opened Stephen Lawrence Centre, an educational trust to help less advantaged young people find careers, often leave affected communities feeling separate rather than part of the value system that treats them as less than equal.
Following the attack there were calls for a fresh inquiry into how institutionally racist Britain's public services are. Perhaps that's a better way of bringing equality, respect and inclusion, rather than fearing the threat of "the other" and their ability to damage Britain's sense of identity.
