Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Across Europe, courts (both domestic and international) are increasingly playing a central role in dealing with identity-driven conflicts across deeply entrenched ethnocultural divides. At the outset, many of these controversies are seemingly religious or cultural disputes, involving the interpretation of individual rights such as freedom of conscience, freedom of association, and freedom of religion. Yet if we scratch beyond the surface, there is much more at stake in these disputes, or so this paper contends. Broader disagreements that confront majority and minority cultures regarding group rights and the shifting intersections between religion, ethnicity, and gender are played out in these judicial battles. The paper traces the so-called "crisis of multiculturalism" in the European political rhetoric and practice and highlights its impact on the de-juridification of cultural rights and on the tendency to seek accommodation through litigation (typically by minority litigants increasingly frustrated with the political backlash against their rights). It then inquires into the prospects of this strategy, pointing out the limitations courts face when adjudicating identity conflicts pertaining to minority groups traditionally disadvantaged in mainstream political processes. These concerns are illustrated through revisiting a number of controversies over Muslim veils that have been resolved by the European Court of Human Rights. The paper cautiously concludes that a shift toward more participatory political processes is more likely to mitigate the decline of progressive forms of multiculturalism and consolidate minority rights.

Across Europe, courts play a central role in dealing with identity-driven conflicts across entrenched socio-cultural divides. Many of these controversies are seemingly religious disputes, involving the interpretation of individual rights. Judges are presented with what they see as a familiar legal challenge of demarcating the legitimate exercise of rights and assessing the grounds for accommodating or restricting a given expression. Yet, there is much more at stake in these disputes. This paper traces the so-called 'crisis of multiculturalism' in the rhetoric and political practice in many countries highlighting its influence in the tendency to seek accommodation through litigation. It inquires into the prospects of this strategy, pointing out the limitations courts face when dealing with identity conflicts pertaining to minority groups traditionally disadvantaged in mainstream political processes. The paper cautiously concludes that a shift towards more participatory political processes can foster the understanding necessary for mitigating identity conflicts.