Lecturer Richard T. Ashcroft

Richard T. Ashcroft is a Lecturer in UC Berkeley’s Department of Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Science Programs. Before completing his PhD in Political Science at Berkeley he studied human rights and practiced as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. His research and teaching explore how modern societies should evolve in the face of deepening diversity and disagreement, with a particular focus on the connections between postwar multiculturalism, political economy, and the legacies of empire. He has edited two books with Mark Bevir: “Multiculturalism in the British Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives on Theory and Practice (University of California Press, 2019), and “Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory” (Routledge, 2019). Richard has also published a series of articles on British multiculturalism, Scottish independence and Brexit, and is currently working on a book manuscript tentatively titled “Rethinking Liberal Multiculturalism: Culture, Meaning, and Pluralism.” He teaches courses on US, UK and EU politics, classical and contemporary theories of political economy, and political theory.

Education

University of California, Berkeley
PhD Political Science, 2018
Dissertation: Rethinking Liberal Multiculturalism: Culture, Meaning, and Pluralism
Subfields: Contemporary Political Theory, History of Political Thought, Public Law
Committee: Mark Bevir & Sarah Song (co-chairs), and Chris Kutz

University of Essex
MA in The Theory and Practice of Human Rights, August 2006 (passed with Distinction)

College of Law, London
Legal Practice Course, August 2000 (passed with Commendation)
Common Professional Examination, August 1999 (passed with Commendation)

University of Oxford, Trinity College
BA (Honours) Theology, June 1998

Research Areas

Political Theory, Political Economy, Multiculturalism, National Identity, Liberal Democracy

Contact Information

101 Stephens Hall

rashcroft@berkeley.edu

Office Hours: Please see syllabi for sign-up details

Google Scholar

Publications

Multiculturalism in the British Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives on Theory and Practice (co-editor), The University of California Press (2019).

Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory (co-editor), Routledge (2019).

Rethinking Liberal Multiculturalism: Culture, Meaning and Pluralism (revised dissertation manuscript, in preparation).

JOURNAL ARTICLES & BOOK CHAPTERS

“Brexit and the Remaking of British National Identity,” (with Mark Bevir), British Politics, 16(2), 117-132 (2021)

“What is Postwar Multiculturalism in Theory and Practice?” (co-author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in the British Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives on Theory and Practice, The University of California Press (2019).

“Multiculturalism in Britain after World War II: Immigration, Nationality and Empire” (co- author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in the British Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives on Theory and Practice, The University of California Press (2019).

“Comparative Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Multiculturalism: Lessons from the Commonwealth” (co-author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in the British Commonwealth: Comparative Perspectives on Theory and Practice, The University of California Press (2019).

“Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory” (co-author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory, Routledge (2019).

“Liberal Democracy, Nationalism and Culture: Multiculturalism and Scottish Independence” (co-author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory, Routledge (2019).

“’Multiculturalism’ in Policy, Law and Theory: Britain, Brexit and Beyond” (co-author), in Richard T. Ashcroft and Mark Bevir, eds., Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory, Routledge (2019).

“Multiculturalism in Contemporary Britain: Policy, Law and Theory” (co-author), Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 21(1): 1-21 (2018).

“Liberal Democracy, Nationalism and Culture: Multiculturalism and Scottish Independence” (co-author), Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 21(1): 65-86 (2018).

“Pluralism, National Identity and Citizenship: Britain after Brexit” (co-author) The Political Quarterly 87(2), 355–359 (2016).

“Multiculturalism and Meaning” (in preparation)

“Culture, State and Exit” (in preparation)

“Luck, Equality and Essentialism: The Troubled Legacy of Liberal Multiculturalism” (in preparation)

“Polycentricity and Pluralism: Towards a Socialist Multiculturalism” (in preparation)

“Cultural Diversity, Concepts of Community, and the Crisis of the EU” (in preparation)