Freedom of Religion and the Accommodation of Religious Diversity: Multiculturalising Secularism

The classical liberal concern for freedom of religion today intersects with concerns equality and respect minorities, what might be loosely termed ‘multiculturalism’. When these minorities were primarily understood in terms ethno-racial identities, multiculturalism seen at that time as quite separate policy legal fields. As ethno-religious identities have become central to (and rejections multiculturalism), specifically Western Europe relation its growing Muslim settlements, not only the two fields intersected, new approaches emerged. We consider relationship between equality, or alternatively, faith conscience group identity. argue normative challenges raised by multicultural integration cannot met individualist understandings freedom, idea state neutrality, nor laicist citizenship equality. Hence, a re-thinking place public life good re-configuring political secularism context religious diversity is necessary. explore number pro-diversity suggest respectful inclusive egalitarian governance look like, usefully learnt from other countries, struggles deeper than it has known long time. moderate historically evolved potentially accommodative diversity, just came Christian churches, but ‘multiculturalised’.