Indian secular pluralism and its relevance for Europe

Menski, Werner F

Abstract

India’s long-standing multiculturalism has consistently allowed the cultivation of a plurality-conscious legal culture and today underpins a well-tested unique approach to ‘secularism’ as equal treatment of all religions rather than as a division of ‘church’ and ‘state’. Mainstream Eurocentric legal scholarship largely misunderstands and dismisses this approach, arguing simplistically that respect for ‘group rights’ infringes human rights, getting embroiled in narrow arguments over competing Christian and Muslim perspectives, forgetting the wider global dimension.

Citation

Menski, W. F. (2009). Indian secular pluralism and its relevance for Europe. In R. D. Grillo, R. Ballard, A. Ferrari, A. Hoekema, M. Maussen, & P. Shah (Eds.), Legal practice and cultural diversity (31-48). Ashgate

• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Dec 9, 2010
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 31-48
• Series Title: Cultural Diversity and Law
• Book Title: Legal practice and cultural diversity
• ISBN: 9780754675471