Foreword: Gender Equality and Multiculturalism

Abstract

Many articles in the preceding sections have been concerned with the foundations of religious pluralism, tolerance and democracy as well as the political conditions that guarantee the peaceful coexistence of cultures and religions. We saw that liberal cosmopolitans contest the multiculturalists’ claim that the ultimate sources of toleration and respect among communities are to be found in cultures and religions. Liberals, however, challenge multiculturalists on yet another front. They not only hold that multiculturalism has difficulties to ensure inter pluralism, but that multiculturalism is neither in a position to lay the basis for intracultural pluralism, that is to guarantee the equality of all members within a community and in particular gender equality.