Multiculturalism. Principles and practices

This paper deals with the notion of multiculturalism as the liberal strategy aimed at the public recognition of cultural differences. Many questions arise referring to multiculturalism: is recognition the basis of justice claim and, if so, how do we combine the position that what is to be recognised is the equal moral worth of persons considered as separate persons and the position that it is their identity claim that demands recognition? Should the ideal of justice accommodate claims for recognition of identities and, if so, how? Liberal multiculturalism will be defended in which the recognition can be considered the natural evolution of the classical doctrine of toleration and the central feature of the liberal public morality as well. On these premises the so called “affair du foulard”, the case of the Islamic veil forbidden in the French schools, will be discussed.