Why liberal nationalism does not resolve the progressive’s trilemma : comment on Will Kymlicka’s article 'Solidarity in diverse societies'

Received: 15 March 2016, Accepted: 23 March 2016, Published: 20 June 2016Will Kymlicka invokes solidarity within the nation, which has a progressive potential when it includes culturally diverse groups into a national We and when it can be mobilized against class privilege. Kymlicka is concerned that these two goals may conflict with each other and hopes that national solidarity can mitigate the conflict. This commentary argues that progressives are faced not with a dilemma, but with a trilemma involving the partially conflicting goals of relative openness for immigration, integration in a culturally diverse society and solidaristic redistribution and expresses skepticism that liberal nationalism provides adequate responses