Tariq Modood argues that authentic multiculturalism – understood as a civic project that combines equal citizenship with institutional recognition of group identities – can actively depolarise societies fractured between pro-diversity advocates and those anxious about national identity. He highlights the need to build a multicultural national identity that integrates both majority and minority anxieties by reimagining shared symbols, public institutions, and national narratives to include all citizens. Through institutional accommodations like interfaith dialogues, recognition of ethno-religious communities, and ongoing public conversation, Modood contends that multiculturalism fosters mutual trust and belonging, reducing political alienation and bringing identity-based divides.