Multiculturalism is a controversial concept and a debated topic. To develop scientific analysis and inform political discussions, it is important to study how lay people evaluate it. Previous research has mostly regarded attitudes towards multiculturalism as unidimensional. This research often relies on the operationalisation offered by the Multicultural Ideology Scale (MIS), in which minorities’ cultural maintenance and acceptance of cultural diversity are central. In this multimethod study, we take a critical perspective on such operationalisation and examine majority of Finns’ responses to MIS in a survey and in focus group discussions. By approaching evaluation processes as social interaction, we challenge the unidimensionality assumption of attitudes towards multiculturalism. We show how cultural essentialism and nationalism are used in arguing for and against multiculturalism, and in negotiating its boundaries so that the majority can keep its dominant position. This conflicts with recognition and equality that are widely considered as cornerstones of multiculturalism.

中文翻译：

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“作为本地人，我为什么要适应？”：

多元文化主义是一个有争议的概念，也是一个有争议的话题。为了发展科学分析并为政治讨论提供参考，重要的是研究外行人如何评价它。先前的研究大多将对多元文化主义的态度视为一维的。这项研究通常依赖于多元文化意识形态量表（MIS）提供的可操作性，其中少数群体的文化维护和对文化多样性的接受是至关重要的。在这项多方法研究中，我们对这种操作性持批判性观点，并在调查和焦点小组讨论中考察了芬兰人对MIS的大多数回应。通过将评估过程视为社会互动，我们挑战了对多元文化主义态度的一维假设。我们展示了文化本质主义和民族主义是如何被用于支持和反对多元文化主义的，以及在其边界的谈判中如何使大多数人能够保持其主导地位。这与被广泛认为是多元文化主义基石的承认和平等相冲突。