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This book provides an in-depth analysis of how constitutionalism
and diversity can be friends and foes alike in contemporary
multinational democracies. By focusing mainly on the dynamics
between Quebec and Canada and comparing these with ongoing issues
in Catalonia and Spain, Flanders and Belgium, and South Tyrol and
Italy, the authors offer new insights into the public management of
national diversity. In doing so, they sought to unpack the numerous
challenges divided societies are facing. The pieces that together
form the title of this book are not merely of symbolic
significance. Constitutionalism v Diversity: Essays on Federal
Democracy echoes the four underlying principles of the Canadian
Constitution that the Supreme Court of Canada identified in its
famous 1998 Reference re Secession of Quebec. These are (1)
federalism, (2) democracy, (3) constitutionalism and the rule of
law, and (4) protection of minorities. While these four concepts
are at the very core of both authors' argument and approach, the
Supreme Court of Canada's Secession Reference is guiding them
through the book by providing a robust and meaningful theoretical
and analytical framework. These principles appear as universal
normative parameters societies should see as ideals to pursue and
translate - while adapting their content to the specific context -
into concrete institutions and practices. Even more today this book
shows the great analytical value of these four principles to
critically appraise of the way multinational liberal democracies in
general and federal systems in particular are evolving.
In so-called post-factual societies, where public debates are
undermined by their false or misleading premises, philosophers who
have reflected on diversity and pluralism can offer a critical and
clarifying perspective through which to evaluate the statements of
politicians and the media. Felix Mathieu offers a theoretical,
empirical, and normative analysis of the debates surrounding the
accommodation of ethnocultural and societal diversity in
contemporary liberal democracies. With a close lens on Canada, he
looks at case studies in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to
test political leaders' and analysts' claims of successful
accommodation and pluralism. Taking Pluralism Seriously provides a
clear, fair, and helpful summary of the debate so far in order to
understand the promises and pitfalls associated with theories of
multiculturalism, interculturalism, federalism, and multinational
democracy, investigating the conditions that might make it possible
for different national communities to become fully empowered,
politically and culturally. Taking Pluralism Seriously invites
readers to explore questions of pluralism and accommodation and
proposes political reforms to meet the challenges arising from
diversity, while considering some of the most pressing concerns
complex societies are facing today.
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