Multicultural Jurisdictions: Cultural Differences and Women's Rights (Contemporary Political Theory)

Can the state respect cultural differences while protecting the rights of vulnerable group members, in particular women? Shachar argues that it is both theoretically needed and institutionally feasible. Rejecting prevalent solutions to this "paradox of multicultural vulnerability", Multicultural Jurisdictions argues for enhancing minorities' autonomy, while providing viable legal-institutional solutions to intra-group rights violation. This new "joint governance" approach reduces the injustice between minority groups and society, while enhancing justice within them. This book will interest students of political and social theory, law, religion, institutional design, and cultural and gender studies.

Ayelet Shachar is Assistant Professor of Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. She is also currently a Member at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. She has written extensively on issues of contemporary political theory, group rights and gender equality. Her most recent publications appear in the Journal of Political Philosophy, Political Theory and the Harvard Civil Rights - Civil Liberties Law Review. She has also contributed to several edited volumes including Multicultural Questions (1999); Citizenship in Diverse Societies (2000); and From Migrants to Citizens (2000).