Full Description
This volume presents an analysis of controversial events and issues shaping a rapidly changing international legal, political, and social landscape. Leading scholars and experts in law, religious studies and international relations, thoughtfully consider issues and tensions arising in contemporary debates over religion and equality in many parts of the world. The book is in two parts. The first section focuses on the anti-discrimination dimension of religious freedom norms, examining the developing law on equality and human rights and how it operates at international and national levels. The second section provides a series of case studies exploring the contemporary issue of same-sex marriage and how it affects religious groups and believers. This collection will be of interest to academics and scholars of law, religious studies, political science, and sociology, as well as policymakers and legal practitioners.
Contents
Preface; Foreword: equality and diversity in conceptualizing freedom of religion or belief, Heiner Bielefeldt; Introduction: conscience and equality: negotiating emerging tensions, Russell Sandberg. Part I Religion and Anti-Discrimination Norms: The right to religion: an evaluation of the texts of the main binding international and european juridical instruments, Nicolae Dură; Freedom of religion: Strasbourg and Luxembourg compared, Mark Hill; State neutrality, religion, and the workplace in the recent case law of the European Court of Human Rights, María J. Valero Estarellas; Religious freedom, anti-discrimination, and minority rights in Brazil, Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves; Anti-discrimination legislation and regulation of employment decisions of religious schools in Australia, Greg Walsh. Part II Religion and Same-Sex Marriage: Same-sex marriage: exemptions for celebrants and religious freedom, Rex Ahdar; Marriages, civil unions, partnerships, and religion in South Africa after 1996, Pieter Coertzen; A fissure within the human rights system? Same-sex marriage claims and religious freedom of speech, Ursula Cristina Basset; A 'bare... purpose to harm'? Marriage and Catholic conscience, Helen M. Alvaré; Protecting same-sex marriage and religious liberty, Thomas Berg and Douglas Laycock. Conclusion: religion and equality: reconcilable differences, W. Cole Durham, Jr.; Index.
