(FOOD.cort mul.tee.KUL.chur.uh.liz.um)
n.
The practice of enjoying the attributes of several cultures other than one's own in a superficial and temporary way. Also: food-court multiculturalism.
Example Citation:
Cultural conservatives have never really understood diversity, preferring to equate it with a superficial food-court multiculturalism and with the apparatus of coercion: affirmative action, political correctness and lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits.
— Philip Gold, "New tactics needed for cultural wars," The Washington Post, March 8, 2002
Earliest Citation:
When multiculturalism means more than the (literal) wearing of different hats, or the assortment of fast food options available at the food court in a suburban mall, accommodating diversity becomes far more complicated. (5)...
(5) What I call the "food court multiculturalism" resembles Fish's
discussion of "boutique multiculturalism."
— Alyson Cole, "The Empowered Self: Law and Society in the Age of Individualism (Review)," Michigan Law Review, May 1, 2001
Notes:
Thanks to Patrick Kalaher for suggesting this phrase.
Related Words:
Category:
New words. 2013.