Constitutions and Cultural Pluralism: How Can Legal Frameworks Foster Tolerance and Peace in Multireligious Societies? Cases from the Middle East

Tuesday, December 3

Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Location: Earl Hall Auditorium

  In the Middle East today, conflicts along religious and ethnic dimensions

create situations in which minorities are in great danger. It is important

to look at how constitutions and their supporting institutions can protect

religious pluralism and toleration in mixed or divided societies. What are

the constitutional arrangements that are the most successful in ensuring

minority rights? How can constitutions deal with the tensions between

individual and communal rights? What can we harness from local social,

political and cultural traditions in various Middle East and North African

cultures to aid the development of constitutions that promote pluralism?
 

Opening remarks by:

Karen Barkey, Columbia University

Giancarlo Bosetti, co-founder of Reset-DoC
 

Attendees:

Asli Bali (UCLA)

Abdullahi An-Na'im (Emory)

Marc Lynch (GWU)

Seyla Benhabib (Yale)

Jean Cohen (Columbia)

Nader Hashemi (University of Denver)

Michael Walzer (Princeton)
 

This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life,

Reset-DoC, and the Center for Democracy, Toleration, and Religion.