Justice, Gender, and the Politics of Multiculturalism

This book explores the tensions that arise in pursuing justice for minority groups and gender equality.

Sarah Song (Author)

9780521874878, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 August 2007

216 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.49 kg

'Sarah Song's Justice, Gender and the Politics of Mulitculturalism is a timely book that offers an important contribution to this subject. … Song questions the oft-held assumption of proponents of multiculturalism … Song also emphasises the role of the state in constructing cultures … Song really brings these issues to life. 'The majority culture is in certain respects not less patriarchal than minority culutres, just differently so'. The book's many examples both richly illustrate this point and underscore the fact that such generalising can only take us so far.' American Studies

Justice, Gender and the Politics of Multiculturalism explores the tensions that arise when culturally diverse democratic states pursue both justice for religious and cultural minorities and justice for women. Sarah Song provides a distinctive argument about the circumstances under which egalitarian justice requires special accommodations for cultural minorities while emphasizing the value of gender equality as an important limit on cultural accommodation. Drawing on detailed case studies of gendered cultural conflicts, including conflicts over the 'cultural defense' in criminal law, aboriginal membership rules and polygamy, Song offers a fresh perspective on multicultural politics by examining the role of intercultural interactions in shaping such conflicts. In particular, she demonstrates the different ways that majority institutions have reinforced gender inequality in minority communities and, in light of this, argues in favour of resolving gendered cultural dilemmas through intercultural democratic dialogue.

1. Introduction
Part I: 2. The concept of culture in political theory
3. Justice and multiculturalism: an egalitarian argument for cultural accommodation
Part II: 4. The 'cultural defense' in American criminal law
5. Tribal sovereignty and the Santa Clara Pueblo case
6. Polygamy in America
7. Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Gender studies: women [JFSJ1], Society & culture: general [JF], Social & political philosophy [HPS]