Multiculturalism is a fiercely debated subject. This article argues that ambivalence is a central feature of people’s perspectives on societal diversity. Data are interviews with leaders from three Norwegian social movement organisations. Qualitative analysis reveals that despite leaders’ very different organisational and political vantage points, they share a common ambivalence towards multiculturalism. This perspective on political and organisational leaders’ views on diversity provides an important supplement to analyses aimed at classifying specific political preferences on multiculturalism. Considering ambivalent multiculturalism is therefore key to understanding those elements of public debate that are not ‘either/or’. In addition to showing the wider relevance of ambivalence, the concluding discussion speculates on the link between ambivalent and extreme expressions in the Norwegian case.
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