Legal and Political Interaction in a Pluralist Society
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TRENDS_21_E_Couv Trends F/A N°12 15/12/09 16:11 Page1 T r The question of accommodations that institutions and citizens must make to ensure e n Trends in social cohesion, No. 21 social cohesion in pluralist societies is of concern to the Council of Europe. How will we d s live and interact together in diversity? It is becoming increasingly important to provide i n Other publications responses and devise innovative frameworks (in the legal sphere, in national education s and training in competences and in institutional practice) which can help build a shared o c i vision while at the same time respecting each individual. a l Trends in social cohesion, No. 12 c o By comparing European and Canadian responses, among others, the articles featured h e in this volume explore this complex issue. They contribute to a major social debate and s i outline a vision of the future that allows us to set aside mutual suspicion and develop o n , institutional arrangements and forms of social interaction capable of making diversity N Ethical, solidarity-based citizen o a factor for progress, well-being and social justice. They also remind us that poverty involvement in the economy: a prerequisite for social cohesion . combined with stigmatisation based on identity leads to stasis, social malaise and an 2 1 Council of Europe Publishing increase in security measures, which ultimately prevent societies from evolving through Editions du Conseil de l’Europe risk taking, shared responsibility, dialogue and consultation. Trends in social cohesion – No. 20 T Well-being for all Concepts and tools for social cohesion T Council of Europe Publishing Editions du Conseil de l’Europe Trends in social cohesion, No. 18 T Achieving social cohesion in a multicultural Europe www.coe.int Concepts, situation and developments The Council of Europe has 47 member states, covering virtually the entire continent of Europe. Institutional accommodation It seeks to develop common democratic and legal principles based on the European Convention on Human Rights and other reference texts on the protection of individuals. and the citizen: legal and political Ever since it was founded in 1949, in the aftermath of the Second World War, the C Council of Europe has symbolised reconciliation . o interaction in a pluralist society u n c i l o f ISBN 978-92-871-6740-8 E u r o p e P u b l i s h http://book.coe.int i n €41 /US$ 82 Council of Europe Publishing g Institutional accommodation and the citizen: legal and political interaction in a pluralist society This publication has received political and fi nancial support from the Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the European Commission Trends in social cohesion, No. 21 Council of Europe Publishing French edition: Accommodements institutionnels et citoyens: cadres juridiques et politiques pour interagir dans des sociétés plurielles ISBN 978-92-871-6739-2 The opinions expressed in this work are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily refl ect the offi cial policy of the Council of Europe. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated, reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic (CD-Rom, Internet, etc.) or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the Public Information and Publications Division, Directorate of Communication (F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex or [email protected]). Cover design: Documents and Publications Production Department (SPDP), Council of Europe Layout: Editions européennes, Brussels Council of Europe Publishing F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex http://book.coe.int ISBN 978-92-871-6740-8 © Council of Europe, December 2009 Printed in France Titles in the same collection No. 1 Promoting the policy debate on social exclusion from a comparative perspective (ISBN 978-92-871-4920-6, €8/US$12) No. 2 Trends and developments in old-age pension and health-care fi nancing in Europe during the 1990s (ISBN 978-92-871-4921-3, €8/ US$12) No. 3 Using social benefi ts to combat poverty and social exclusion: opportunities and problems from a comparative perspective (ISBN 978-92-871-4937-4, €13/US$20) No. 4 New social demands: the challenges of governance (ISBN 978-92- 871-5012-7, €19/US$29) No. 5 Combating poverty and access to social rights in the countries of the South Caucasus: a territorial approach (ISBN 978-92-871-5096-7, €15/US$23) No. 6 The state and new social responsibilities in a globalising world (ISBN 978-92-871-5168-1, €15/US$23) No. 7 Civil society and new social responsibilities based on ethical foundations (ISBN 978-92-871-5309-8, €13/US$20) No. 8 Youth and exclusion in disadvantaged urban areas: addressing the causes of violence (ISBN 978-92-871-5389-0, €25/US$38) No. 9 Youth and exclusion in disadvantaged urban areas: policy approaches in six European cities (ISBN 978-92-871-5512-2, €15/US$23) No. 10 Security through social cohesion: proposals for a new socio- economic governance (ISBN 978-92-871-5491-0, €17/US$26) No. 11 Security through social cohesion: deconstructing fear (of others) by going beyond stereotypes (ISBN 978-92-871-5544-3, €10/US$15) No. 12 Ethical, solidarity-based citizen involvement in the economy: a prerequisite for social cohesion (ISBN 978-92-871-5558-0, €10/ US$15) No. 13 Retirement income: recent developments and proposals (ISBN 978- 92-871-5705-8, €13/US$20) No. 14 Solidarity-based choices in the marketplace: a vital contribution to social cohesion (ISBN 978-92-871-5761-4, €30/US$45) No. 15 Reconciling labour fl exibility with social cohesion – Facing the challenge (ISBN 978-92-871-5813-0, €35/US$53) No. 16 Reconciling labour fl exibility with social cohesion – Ideas for political action (ISBN 978-92-871-6014-0, €35/US$53) 3 No. 17 Reconciling labour fl exibility with social cohesion – The experiences and specifi cities of central and eastern Europe (ISBN 978-92-871- 6151-2, €39/US$59) No. 18 Achieving social cohesion in a multicultural Europe – Concepts, situation and developments (ISBN 978-92-871-6033-1, €37/US$56) No. 19 Reconciling migrants’ well-being and the public interest – Welfare state, fi rms and citizenship in transition (ISBN 978-92-871-6285-4, €44/US$88) No. 20 Well-being for all – Concepts and tools for social cohesion (ISBN 978- 92-871-6505-3, €53/US$106) 4 Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................9 Alexander Vladychenko Introduction .................................................................................................11 Gilda Farrell and Myriam Jézéquel Part A – The concept of reasonable accommodation: its potential against European frameworks of citizenship and combat against discriminations to meet the need for institutional change, particularly in social services ...........................................21 The reasonable accommodation requirement: potential and limits ..................21 Myriam Jézéquel Accommodating diversity in Quebec and Europe: different legal concepts, similar results? .........................................................37 Pierre Bosset and Marie-Claire Foblets Participation rights under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM): towards a legal framework against social and economic discrimination ....................................................67 Lidija R. Basta Fleiner European legal frameworks responding to diversity and the need for institutional change. Indirect discrimination as a means of protecting pluralism: challenges and limits .................................................85 Frédérique Ast Emerging standards of reasonable accommodation towards minorities in Europe? ...................................................................................................111 Jennifer Jackson Preece Reasonable accommodation: going beyond the European Convention on Human Rights to refl ect the plurality in national institutional settings ......127 Eduardo J. Ruiz Vieytez 5 Part B – Reasonable accommodation or mutual accommodation for all to develop our institutional and national cultures? ....................143 European legal frameworks that respond to diversity and the need for institutional change: to what extent are the Canadian concept of “reasonable accommodation” and the European approach of “mutual accommodation” refl ected in those frameworks? Which conceptual approach provides the better way forward in the European context? ................................................................143 Jane Wright Accommodations for minorities or accommodations for all – Bringing about harmonious coexistence in pluralist societies ........................161 Tariq Ramadan The evolution of institutional cultures: migrants’ access to services and rights .........................................................171 Eduardo J. Ruiz Vieytez Part C – Reasonable accommodation in a framework of dialogue, national education and teaching of competences........................................183 Resistances to cultural diversity: anti-pluralist rhetoric and other common objections .....................................................................183 François Fournier “Ha da passa’ ‘a nuttata”: reasonable accommodation, a tool for defending coexistence based on respect for rights in a pluralist society ......................................................................................205 Emilio Santoro Universality, differences