Eun-Jung Katherine Kim, PhD, Wayne State University, Philosophy dept.
Philosophy: Welcome Back Event
Thursday, September 21, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Guest Speaker: Eun-Jung Katherine Kim, Ph.D.
McPherson Lounge, Alumni Hall
“Multiculturalism and Legal Autonomy for Religious Minorities: The Case of Sharia Law in Canada”
Abstract: A petition is currently circulating to amend the Constitution Act of 1982, “stating that Sharia Law or separate Sharia family courts will never have a place in the Canadian Justice System”. The petition may be puzzling since sharia-based arbitration was banned in 2005 when women’s groups successfully argued that sharia law rejects gender equality and therefore fails to provide justice for all disputing parties. However, in the name of multiculturalism, there is increasing momentum to recognize Islamic tribunals as an alternative to civil courts. The policy of multiculturalism opens up the political and legal space to carve out a separate sphere of justice for minority groups. This paper asks the following question: Is multiculturalism committed to recognizing legal (quasi-) autonomy for religious minorities? To answer that question, we will explore the tension between the central tenets of multiculturalism and the fundamental principles that justify coercion in liberal democracies.
Following will be the Annual Philosophy Department Welcome Back Reception
All are welcome