The accommodation of religious diversity in contemporary pluralist societies is undoubtedly amongst the most salient issues on today’s political agenda, not least due to the challenges posed by migration. A subject of considerable debate is how to reconcile the demands of religious and cultural diversity alongside political unity, that is, how to create a political community that is cohesive and stable and satisfies the legitimate aspirations of minorities. This volume provides a critical analysis of the institutional accommodations and legal frameworks conceived by and/or for historical religious groups and assesses their potential and shortcomings in providing for an integrated society based on human- and minority rights protection.
Dr. Roberta Medda-Windischer (LL.M, PhD), Senior Researcher and Group Leader for Equality and Diversity in Integrated Societies at Eurac Research Institute for Minority Rights (Bolzano/Bozen – Italy), is an international lawyer specialised in minority issues, human rights, diversity management and minority protection.
Mag. Kerstin Wonisch worked as Researcher at the Eurac Research Institute for Minority Rights (Bolzano/Bozen – Italy) where her research focused on the rights of religious minorities and the governance of religious diversity, Islamic pluralism, gender and human rights.
Dr. Alexandra Cosima Budabin (PhD), is Senior Researcher at the Eurac Research Institute for Minority Rights (Bolzano/Bozen – Italy) where she researches transnational advocacy around minority rights, cultural heritage, and conflict and security.
Notes on Contributors
Introduction
Roberta Medda- Windischer, Kerstin Wonisch and Alexandra Cosima Budabin
1 Regulation of Muslim Religious Minority Groups and the European State: The Unique Case of Legal Pluralism in Greece
Kyriaki Topidi
2 Women and Sharia Law in the UK
Elham Manea
3 The System of Bilateral Legislation Tested by ‘Neo’ Religious Groups: The Case of Italy
Francesco Alicino
4 The Three Junctions of the Italian ‘Islamic Policy’
Alessandro Ferrari
5 Religious Diversity in Greece: Recent Developments and the Challenges of the Molla Sali Case
Christos Tsevas
6 Rabbinical Court Decisions and Their Impact on Jewish Society
Elimelech Westreich and Avishalom Westreich
7 Legal Pluralism, Religious Identity and Citizenship in the State of Israel: The Case of Non-Orthodox Jews
Anna Parrilli
8 Russian Orthodox Church and Migration in Russia: When Hell Is Paved with Good Intentions
Kiryl Kascian and Hanna Vasilevich
9 Conclusions
Silvio Ferrari
Index
Institutes, (academic) libraries, specialists, (post-graduate) students, practitioners, specialised in minority rights, human rights, religious studies, religion, and constitutional law.