Book Review: 'Managing Family Justice in Diverse Societies' (Eds Maclean and Eekelaar)
Australian Journal of Family Law, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 270-75, 2013
7 Pages Posted: 20 May 2014
Date Written: May 18, 2014
Abstract
Most Western societies have been used to a considerable degree of homogeneity in cultural terms, if not in religious terms, until the last forty years or so. There was a shared identity which allowed for accommodation of the faith traditions of religious minorities without upsetting the general societal consensus. A Western society could logically and consistently maintain pluralism in terms of formation of marriage while insisting on uniformity in terms of the law of divorce and its consequences. Much has changed now. Many societies are struggling to maintain that sense of shared cultural identity given the diversity of cultures within their borders. This essay, reviewing a book edited by Mavis Maclean and John Eekelaar, discusses the issues involved in taking multiculturalism seriously in family law, and how these issues might be responded to in Australian law.
Keywords: Family law, multiculturalism, ethnic minorities, pluralism, religion
JEL Classification: K10, K30
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation