Dr Clayton Chin is a Bristol Next Generation Visiting Researcher from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Belonging is a major concept in the social sciences today. From nationalism studies, to ethnic and racial sociology, to discussions of social inclusion around disadvantaged groups, the “belonging” of some groups is central to assessing inclusion and equality. However, while the concept is often employed, it is rarely theorised in detail, especially in political and multicultural theory. In one sense, this lack of attention is unsurprising. Belonging is a broad, multidimensional concept that captures various aspects of a key feature of liberal democratic societies: all individuals are part of and have membership in a variety of groups. The ever-present nature of belonging in contemporary socio-political life make theorising it inherently difficult as what it means to belong varies across types of groups and is contested by individuals within each group.
Despite this, political theory has a longstanding tradition of use on this question. While narrow in its framing, it has long considered the question of political belonging, the nature and justification of belonging to a state/political community and how the complex dynamics of multifaceted group membership complicate inclusion into citizenship and political community. To expose this, this paper rereads debates around community, culture, and identity in terms of their understandings of what sorts of things we belong to, and the political significance of belonging claims. It argues that a focus on the concept of belonging (and these “objects of belonging”) achieves (at least) two important goals: 1) it brings clarity to longstanding debates in political theory around the nature of group membership and the challenge it sets to political community, and 2) it helps identify a new emerging conversation amongst multicultural theorists highlighting the inequalities around contemporary belonging to political community. All of this, it concludes, requires a full theory of belonging to come to terms with.
Dr Clayton Chin is Senior Lecturer in Political Theory in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. His past research focused on the methodology of different traditions within political theory, particularly the relation between pragmatist political thought and the analytical and Continental approaches. This research, focused on methodological debates in political theory, led to a variety of journal articles, and a monograph The Practice of Political Theory: Rorty and Continental Thought (Columbia University Press).
Dr Chin’s current work focuses on issues related to multiculturalism and cultural diversity in contemporary liberal democracies, particularly the relation between multiculturalism and national identity in both contemporary Western liberal democracies and theoretical debates. He focuses on the theorising the concept of belonging, and its implication for our understanding of multiculturalism, national identity and recognition. He has published articles on these issues in Ethnicities, Nations and Nationalism, The Journal of Intercultural Studies and Ethnic and Racial Studies.
All are welcome to attend this seminar.
This is a hybrid event and will be followed by a drinks reception in person in the Priory Road Cafe . Join us -
In-person: Priory Road Complex D Block 2D2
Online: join via Zoom: https://bristol-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqd-GorzsrHtfOf0LEA11yNicJZWNMxmRZ
(N.B. Use of this link will be taken as consent to the seminar being recorded in full)