Democracy, Diversity, Religion

Contributor(s): Professor Charles Taylor | Professor Charles Taylor will look at the constant temptation for modern democracies to veer towards exclusion. This is despite them being founded on a principle of inclusion, and is due to a weakness built into motivations which democracies draw upon. Having firmly established this context, Professor Taylor will discuss the exclusionary moves we have seen in many Western democracies which have targeted (unfamiliar) religions. Why this intense focus and how to overcome it? This lecture will focus mainly on the Quebec/Canadian situation, and will also point to the current parallels evident in many European countries today. Charles Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at McGill University. His recent works include: Modern Social Imaginaries, A Secular Age, and Laïcité et Liberté de Conscience (with Jocelyn Maclure). Professor Craig Calhoun (@craigjcalhoun) is Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. This event is co-organised with the Québec Government Office in London.