Multiculturalism is a complex phenomenon that has different aspects (theoretical, political, normative, ideological, etc.). Its meanings are not uniform, and discussions about it are often very emotional, oscilating between uncritical glorification and the dispute. In political theory, however, there is a specific problem that has long been discussed - how multiculturalism, as a „policy of difference“, agrees with liberalism, and how the principle of collective fits in with the individualism, and the principle of equality with recognition of differences. In this paper I give very brief overview of these discussions, as a prelude to future dealing with the problem of multiculturalism, especially the way in which the notion of culture has been conceptualised in the disscussion, as well as whether and how it is realized in the Serbian society. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177027: Multietnicitet, multikulturalnost, migracije - savremeni procesi]