Unmeltable Ethnics

The book explores ethnicity's role in American identity and politics, advocating for self-inquiry and mutual appreciation rather than division. Unmeltable Ethnics challenges contemporary multiculturalism.

This new, enlarged edition of an influential book—originally published in 1972 as The Rise of the Unmeltable Ethnics—extends the author's wise and generous view of ethnicity. Its aim is to raise consciousness about a crucial part of the American experience: to involve each reader in self-inquiry. Who, after all, are you? What history brought you to where you are? Why are you different from others? The point of such inquiry is civility. The new ethnic consciousness embodied in this book delights in recognition of subtle differences in the movements of the soul. It is not a call to separatism but to self-consciousness, seeking accurate, mutual appreciation instead of division.

This edition features six new essays by the author, including the acclaimed Pluralism: A Humanistic Perspective. Additionally, Novak provides a comprehensive introduction that updates the argument, describing how and why ethnicity has emerged as a significant issue in American politics. He sharply critiques the prevailing ideology of multiculturalism as a distortion of true ethnicity, asserting that while multiculturalism is driven by the eros of Narcissus, the new ethnicity is propelled by the eros of unrestricted understanding.

When it first appeared, The Rise of the Unmeltable Ethnics was recognized as a pivotal work. Time noted that Novak had challenged the American Dream to potentially open a new chapter for it. This new edition further clarifies critical distinctions for those navigating contemporary complexities surrounding terms like multiculturalism and diversity, emphasizing the importance of families, neighborhoods, and other mediating institutions in fostering a realistic sense of national community.