The Right to Wear Religious Symbols

Few issues concerning religious freedom provoke so much controversy and debate as the extent to which religious symbols should be protected in the public sphere and the workplace. This book provides philosophical analysis of the concepts at issue in this debate, as well as covering all the major recent cases brought under Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, including the landmark judgment Eweida v UK. In particular, it gives a presentation of the current state of the case-law, grounding it, in a unique contribution to the debate, in an investigation of its philosophical underpinnings. Particular attention is paid to different functions of the symbol and their theoretical background, with emphasis on the role of the symbol in bearing witness to faith.

Contents:

+ Acknowledgements

+ List of Abbreviations

+ Table of Cases

+ Table of Statutes & Treaties

+ Introduction: Philosophy of Religion goes to Court

+ PART I: TRENDS IN ARTICLE 9(1)
++ 1. The Manifestation Test
++ 2. The Myth of the Necessity Test
++ 3. The Practical Turn

+ PART II: UNDERSTANDING THE PRACTICAL TURN
++ 4. The UK Government and Generally Recognized Practices
++ 5. The Participative Symbol
++ 6. High-level and Low-level Beliefs

+ Conclusion: Why Eweida Won

+ Bibliography

+ Index