Coping with Super-Diversity in Law: Thoughts on the British Scene
RELIGION AND LAW IN MULTICULTURAL SOCIETIES, Rubya Mehdi, Gordon R. Woodman, Erik Reeberg Sand and Hanne Petersen, eds., pp. 63-81, Copenhagen: DJØF Publishing, 2008
16 Pages Posted: 6 Oct 2009
Date Written: October 4, 2009
Abstract
With a focus on Britain, this paper discusses some theories of legal pluralism in light of Western multicultural societies. It then explores the increasing salience of religion within Britain and how religion has become the subject of recent legislation and court decisions. It is argued that the quest for a space for Muslims within British multiculturalism explains this increasing focus on religion. The paper then goes on to provide a critique of the focus on religion which, it is argued, leads to only a partial recognition of the complexity of legal pluralism.
Keywords: law and religion, legal pluralism, multiculturalism, Muslims, super-diversity
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