Some cultural minority groups in democratic states demand "special" social and political arrangements to accommodate their distinct identities, languages and ways of life. Is this a requirement of justice in plural societies? What exactly is the basis for these claims? Do demands for community autonomy-such as separate religious schools, instruction in one's own language, or native self-government-jeopardize democratic commitments to universal rights and citizenship, or to a division of church and state? Or are such arrangements required in order to make good on liberal and democratic commitments to justice for all in culturally plural societies? We'll look at recent responses by several political philosophers to the justice claims of cultural minority groups.
Requirements: one midterm exam, one final paper (6-8 pages), and a final exam. No prerequisites. Political Theory Subfield