Patriotism involves some sense of fellow feeling among citizens, but such a condition today appears elusive. A pluralism of values, beliefs and identities prevails in most liberal democracies, to the point where many would argue that diversity in society must be the starting point for any theorising about political order and citizenship. One major source of such social change is the mass immigration experienced in many Western societies during recent decades. Where once it could have been assumed that the population of a nation-state would contain a high degree of cultural homogeneity, this can no longer be taken for granted. What may be described as multiculturalism as social reality – the presence of culturally diverse groups in society – has been accompanied, in just about every society with substantial immigrant populations, by a politics of multiculturalism. Members of minority ethnic and cultural groups have demanded that the state recognise and accommodate their identities and practices. This presents a particular challenge to patriotism, for there appears to be something of a trade-off between solidarity and diversity.

We can understand this conflict as arising from the different claims that solidarity and diversity make on a value of community. On the one hand, it is possible to interpret the endorsement of diverse cultural identities as implying that citizens’ differences are more important than the things they share as members of a political community. On the other hand, should patriotism entail the affirmation of a common identity, it can have the effect of excluding people of minority cultural backgrounds from the benefits of equal citizenship. In negotiating such conflicts, a liberal political community must engage in a form of public dialogue. When faced with claims for cultural recognition, citizens are required to evaluate cultural identities and practices. But citizens should not only weigh the merits of minority cultural claims; they should also reflect on the broader community's public identity and practices.