Cover -- Contents -- Introduction -- Part I. Divided Societies and Federalim -- Chapter 1: The Normative Theory of Federalism and the Idea of Nation -- Introduction: Is a Normative Theory of Federalism Necessary Today? -- 1. The Veil of Ignorance and the Federal Principle of Autonomy (Self-Government) -- 2. A Federal-Republican Concept of Nation -- Conclusion: Toward a Normative Theory of Federalism -- Chapter 2: The Federal Ideal. Empirical and Normative Explorations -- 1. Federation, Federalism, Federal Society: From Organizational Principle to Normative Model -- 2. The Evolution of the Canadian Political System or the Negation of the Federal Ideal -- 2.1 A Double Obsession: Pact and Autonomy -- 2.2 A Double Preoccupation: Performance and Legitimacy -- Conclusion -- Part II. Recognition and Empowerment -- Chapter 3: Empowerment through Different Means. Nationalism and Federalism in the Canadian Context -- 1. Empowerment through Nationalist Mobilization -- 2. Empowerment through Multinational Federalist Mobilisation -- 2.1 The Time of Uncertainties -- 3. Towards a New Politics in Multinational Polities: Moderation, Dignity and Hospitality -- 3.1 The Principle of Moderation -- 3.2 The Principle of Dignity -- 3.3 The Principle of Hospitality -- By Way of Conclusion -- Chapter 4: The Canadian School of Diversity's New Influences on the Theory of Collective Rights in Spain. A Critical Review of Seymour's Contribution -- 1. The Debate about Collective Rights in Spain -- 2. De la tolérance à la reconnaissance as a General Theory of Collective Rights -- 3. The Characterization of Collective Rights According to Seymour's Thesis -- 3.1 The Subject of Collective Rights -- 3.2 The Content of Collective Rights -- 3.3 Subject-Object Articulation -- 3.4 Justifying Principle of Collective Rights.

4. Critical Evaluation of the Characterization of Collective Rights According to Seymour's Thesis -- Chapter 5: After the Bouchard-Taylor Commission. Religious Accommodation and Human Rights in Quebec -- Introduction -- 1. Reasonable Accommodation -- 1.1 The Definition of a Reasonable Accommodation -- 1.2 The Limits to the Duty to Accommodate -- 2. Secularism -- 2.1 Distinction between Institutions and Individuals -- 2.2 Should Public Officials Be Allowed to Wear Visible Religious Signs? -- 2.3 Heritage vs. Establishment -- 3. The Aftermath of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission: Quebec's Bill 94 -- Conclusion -- Part III. Human Rights, Political Rights and Institutional Pluralism -- Chapter 6: Federalism and the Protection of Rights and Freedoms. Affinities and Antagonism -- Introduction -- 1. The Impact of Federalism on the Protection of Rights -- A. Institutional and Political Benefits of Federalism for the Protection of Rights -- 1. The Rights of People in General -- 2. The Rights of Minorities -- B. Legal Benefits of Federalism for the Protection of Rights: the Two Layers of Constitutional Instruments and Judicial Review -- C. The Disadvantages of Federalism for the Protection of Rights: the Difficulties Arising in the Ratification and Implementation of Human Rights Treaties -- 2. The Impact of the Protection of Rights on Federalism -- A. Centralizing Effect of the Protection of Rights -- 1. Transfer of Some Decisional Power from Representative Bodies of the Federated States to Federal Judicial Bodies -- 2. Consolidation of National Identity to the Detriment of Regional Identities -- 3. Economic and Social Rights as Justification for Federal Intervention in Jurisdictions of the Federated States -- B. Standardizing Effect of Constitutional Scrutiny Based on the Federal Constitution.

1. Why Rights Protection Results in Standardization: a Transcendental and Pre-Political Conception of Rights -- 2. Legal and Political Aspects of Standardization Resulting From Rights Protection -- 3. Means of Attenuating the Standardizing Consequences of Rights Protection -- Conclusion -- Chapter 7: Rights Beyond the State. The European Union and the European Court of Human Rights -- Introduction -- 2. Spain: EU Law and the ECtHR -- 3. Autonomous Community Rights and European Rights -- 4. The ECJ and ECtHR -- 5. Who Will Be the Supreme Interpreter of Human Rights? -- Chapter 8: On the (Human) Rights to Self-Determination and National Conflicts -- Introduction: Aim and Subject -- 1. The Right to Self-determination as a Human Right -- 2. Questions about the Holder of the Right -- 3. Questions about the Scope of the Right: Internal and External Aspects -- 4. Prevailing Interpretations and Problematic Issues -- 4.1. Issues concerning the Holder of the Right -- 4.1.1. The "Whole People" Approach -- 4.1.2. The "Plurality of Peoples" Approach -- 4.2. Issues concerning the Content or Exercise of the Right -- 4.2.1. "All-Possible-Outcomes" Self-Determination Cases -- 4.2.2. Limited Self-Determination Cases -- 4.3. The Justification of the Distinction between Unlimited and Limited Self-Determination -- 4.4. The Identification of Peoples Entitled to (Limited) Self-Determination -- 4.5. The Scope of the Limited Version of the Right -- 5. Self-Determination and Democratic Management of National Conflicts -- Conclusion -- Part IV. Politics of Diversity: Multiculturalism and Interculturalism -- Chapter 9: What Is Interculturalism? -- Introduction -- 1. Interculturalism: Some Basic Principles -- 2. Paradigms and Levels of Analysis -- 3. Characteristics of Interculturalism -- A. Majority/Minorities Duality -- B. A Process of Interaction.

C. The Principles of Harmonization: A Civic Responsibility -- D. Integration and Identity -- E. Elements of Ad Hoc Precedence for the Majority Culture -- F. A Common Culture -- G. The Search for Equilibriums -- 4. Interculturalism and Multiculturalism -- Conclusion: A Future for Interculturalism and French-speaking Quebec -- Chapter 10: Multiculturalism and Legal Pluralism. European Perspectives -- Introduction: Analytical Remarks -- 1. Two Cases from the European Context -- 1.1 Rom Marriage and the Spanish Civil Law: The Muñoz Díaz Case -- 1.2 Different Forms of Marriage in Dutch Law and their Relevance in the EU Staff Regulations -- Conclusion: Legal Pluralism vs. Reasonable Accommodation -- Chapter 11: Interculturalism and Republicanism. Is Dialogue Possible? -- Introduction -- 1. What Republicanism? What Interculturalism? -- 2. Axis of Liberty as Non-dependence -- 3. Axis of Civic Virtue and Commitment to the Common Good -- 4. Axis of the Deliberative Ideal and Participatory Citizenship -- Final Reflections.