ACCEPT Pluralism

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• ACCEPT Pluralism
• Tolerance, Pluralism and Social Cohesion

Tariq Modood Jan Dobbernack Nasar Meer
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How tolerant are European societies?

• Tolerance, recognition and respect
• Is there a right to recognition or respect?
• Different minority groups multiple of claims for
  recognition/respect
• The value of tolerance moral minimalism?
• Intolerance, misrecognition and disrespect
• Themes muscular liberalism, the end of
  passive tolerance, too much diversity
• Minority agency in response to non-acceptance

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The Concept of Misrecognition

• Recognition - undistorted and dialogical
  identity formation a vital human need

When a group puts forward a demand for
recognition they seek to disclose the
misrecognition in the existing rule of mutual
recognition, to persuade others it is unjust and
intolerable, and to display a preferred
alternative. James Tully
Taking the concept of misrecognition as the
point of departure focuses our attention on the
objects of, and processes of, misrecognition by
its nature it mitigates the excesses of
abstraction and provides for a more contextual
approach Meer, Martineau and Thompson

• Misrecognition - a condition that is usually not
  passively endured but that invites political
  agency

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Actors at the General Election 2010
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Misrecognition and Political Agency

• M1 Misrecognising Muslim identity politics as
  markedly different in kind to other identity
  politics
• M2 Misrecognising the dynamic positioning and
  complexity of Muslim identities and concern
• M3 Misrecognising Muslim agency as purely
  reactive, grievance-based or pariah politics
• M4 Misrecognising Muslim concerns as sectarian
  and incompatible with an orientation towards
  the common good
• M5 Misrecognising Muslim political actors as
  toxic and refusing political association

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A Muslim Vote?
The concept condenses and generalises and
homogenises something that I think is a much more
complex phenomenon. Engage
The Muslim voter, like any other Briton, may well
make discerning choices of which their Muslim
identity, if ever there was one, is only a part
of a menu of considerations. Muslim Council of
Britain
Desire not to be boxed in but resistance
against individualization of group concerns?
There is a great deal of diversity amongst
Muslim communities, always in the plural rather
than singular. Muslim Public Affairs Committee
Strategic potentials of group representation
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The politics of representation
Were not just saying more Muslim MPs. What
were saying is that non-Muslim MPs also need to
address the concerns of their Muslim
constituents. Muslim Public Affairs Committee
The Muslim community is issue-based, and not
religion based. Youelect
We dont need a Muslim party, were calling for
Muslims to be part of society, I dont want them
to stand on one side Cordoba Foundation
We have a party thats beginning to look like
the people it serves and yet . equality was
further and further away. Multiculturalism was
being trashed. Operation Black Vote
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Neutrality and radioactive effects
People feel empowered through Youelect but we
made sure that we didnt encroach on their
personal political space but we feel that
there are some really very bad candidates and
regardless of where they stand on the playing
field, they are really, really bad candidates.
Youelect
Were not asking for their endorsement. Were
endorsing them. Muslim Public Affairs Committee
Maneuvering in how to associate with /
dissociate from mainstream parties and candidates
We do everything in terms of raising issues, but
stop short of saying who to put in their ballot
box. Its more service facilitation. You make up
your own mind. Muslim Council of Britain
Strategic benefits but also limitations of
neutrality
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Misrecognition and political agency
The Muslim voter, like any other Briton, may well
make discerning choices Muslim Council of Britain
While Muslims come under collective attack they
can only defend themselves and fight for their
rights as individuals?! Cordoba Foundation
Oppositionality
When politicians are looking around for a Muslim
voice, theyre all automatically confronted with
Muslim voices. Engage
Sophistication
Multiplication
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• Kris Hopkins MP
• http//www.krishopkins.co.uk
• Sunder Katwala
• http//www.britishfuture.org/
• Fiyaz Mughal
• http//faith-matters.org

The Politics of Religious Diversity