Will Kymlicka

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Will_Kymlicka

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Will Kymlicka (born 1962) is a Canadian political philosopher best known for his work on multiculturalism and animal rights. He is currently a professor of philosophy at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Early life and education

Kymlicka was born in London, Ontario, in 1962. He completed his undergraduate studies in philosophy and political science at the University of Western Ontario. He then went on to earn his D.Phil. in philosophy from the University of Oxford, where he studied under the supervision of G. A. Cohen.

Academic career

Kymlicka has held various academic positions throughout his career. He has taught at the University of Toronto, the University of Ottawa, and Queen's University, where he is currently a professor in the Department of Philosophy and the Canada Research Chair in Political Philosophy.

Philosophical work

Kymlicka's work primarily focuses on issues of multiculturalism, citizenship, and animal rights. He is a prominent advocate of liberal multiculturalism, which seeks to reconcile the principles of liberalism with the recognition of cultural diversity.

Multiculturalism

In his influential book Multicultural Citizenship, Kymlicka argues that traditional liberal theories of justice need to be adapted to accommodate the rights of minority cultural groups. He introduces the concept of "group-differentiated rights," which are special rights or privileges granted to minority groups to ensure their cultural survival and integration within the larger society.

Animal rights

Kymlicka has also made significant contributions to the field of animal rights. In his book Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights, co-authored with Sue Donaldson, he argues for a new framework for understanding the moral and political status of animals. This framework includes the idea of animals as citizens, denizens, and sovereign communities, each with specific rights and responsibilities.

Selected works

• Liberalism, Community, and Culture (1989)
• Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction (1990)
• Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights (1995)
• Politics in the Vernacular: Nationalism, Multiculturalism, and Citizenship (2001)
• Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights (2011, with Sue Donaldson)

Related pages

• Multiculturalism
• Liberalism
• Animal rights
• Political philosophy
• John Rawls
• G. A. Cohen