Multiculturalism and the BRICS+: Exploring Emerging Issues and Prospects

Abstract

This study examines the challenges and prospects of multiculturalism within the context of emerging global alliances, with a particular focus on the BRICS+ bloc. While globalization has facilitated unprecedented interconnectedness across cultures, economies, and political systems, it has also increased asymmetries and cultural hierarchies that risk reproducing hegemonic structures within multilateral formations. Despite BRICS+’s growing significance as a driver of global economic growth, limited scholarly attention has been paid to the cultural dynamics that underpin its cohesion and long-term sustainability. Drawing on globalization theory and deploying qualitative analysis of secondary data, this study examines how cultural diversity within BRICS+ shapes internal relations, policy coordination, and global positioning. It argues that although multiculturalism provides a framework for inclusivity and cooperation, it simultaneously generates tensions such as ethnocentrism, majoritarian dominance, and latent supremacist ideologies that may undermine collective identity. The findings reveal that the success of BRICS+ as a geopolitical and economic bloc is dependent not only on economic complementarities but also on its capacity to negotiate cultural differences through inclusive and non-hegemonic structures. The study advances the concept of “bounded identity” as a strategic model for engendering unity without eroding cultural distinctiveness. It further demonstrates that multiculturalism, when effectively managed, can promote cross-cultural understanding, strengthen institutional cooperation, and support more equitable global engagements.