The ideal of a harmonious order—as old as Plato’s Republic and as modern as the United Nations—remains elusive, as much in the mid-1980s as ever, with the emergence over the last 200 years of multiethnic societies. These are cultural and political combinations of race, language, religion, and culture in nations such as South Africa, Canada, and Israel. Hedva Ben-Israel and Emanuel Gutmann discuss questions around multiethnic societies, such as origins and ways in which historians measure their impact upon modern international politics.
At the time of this interview, Ben-Israel, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1985-86), was professor of history at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Gutmann, also at Hebrew University, was professor of political science.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
