Will Kymlicka’s Multicultural Citizenship
- 1 Faculty of Law, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
This essay critically examines Will Kymlicka’s liberal theory of multicultural citizenship in the context of religious minority rights, particularly focusing on the Turkish experience. It argues that while Kymlicka offers a persuasive framework for protecting ethnic and linguistic minorities through group-differentiated rights, his model remains inadequate in addressing the complex needs of religious minorities in liberal democracies. Drawing on theoretical critiques from Bhikhu Parekh, Chandran Kukathas, and others, the essay highlights the inherent limitations of liberalism in accommodating religious diversity, especially when secular frameworks dominate public institutions. The Turkish and French models of strict secularism are contrasted with Anglo-American soft secularism, illustrating how rigid separation between religion and state undermines minority inclusion. Strict secularism (laïcité) refers to the exclusion of religion from public institutions and governance ( Bhargava, 2013 ). Soft secularism, by contrast, maintains state neutrality while allowing public religious expression ( Casanova, 1994 ).
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