Political particularism is the ability of policymakers to further their careers by appealing to narrow interests rather than the wider interests of the country. It is often characterized by its opponents as the politics of group identity that trumps universal rights and therefore the rights of minorities or any other kind of “other.” In particularism

Particularism

Particularism may refer to:* Epistemological particularism, an approach in philosophy* Historical particularism, an approach in anthropology* Literary particularism, a literary genre that emphasizes details...

, the decisive factor of politics becomes religious and ethnic identity

Ethnic group

An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...

 and the interests of the communities defined by these bonds instead of the ideas and values of political pluralism

Cultural pluralism

Cultural pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture. Cultural pluralism is often confused with Multiculturalism...

with its emphasis on universal rights, separation of religion and the government and an ethic of religious and ethnic tolerance.