This collection of eight articles on minority political participation in western European democracies examines issues of representation and responsiveness to immigrant and minority needs among liberal democracies and explores the effects of increasing xenophobic discourse on the prospects for fair and balanced divisions of political power. Topics discussed include parties and diversity in western Europe, legacies of colonialism in French politics, minority representation in Germany, and race and politics in the European Parliament. The contributors are primarily academics in sociology and related fields from US and European universities. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)