The Strains of Commitment: The Political Sources of Solidarity in Diverse Societies

European University Institute (EUI), Fiesole, Italy – February 20th-22th, 2014

Convenors: Keith Banting & Will Kymlicka (Queens University, Canada), Anna Triandafyllidou (EUI, Italy)

This project analyzes the political sources of solidarity in ethnically and religiously diverse societies, paying particular attention to two factors: conceptions of political community, and state policies related to diversity and integration. These issues have been the subject of a lively debate among normative political theorists, but few empirical analysts have engaged with their ideas. This project brings these two groups together to analyze the political underpinning of solidarity in diverse societies.

PROGRAMME

Thursday, 20 February 2014

Welcome

Introduction

• Keith Banting / Will Kymlicka, “The Strains of Commitment”

The Political Theory of Solidarity

• Bonnie Honig, “Demos, shared objects of political life, and solidarity”
• Jacob Levy, “Against fraternity: Democracy without solidarity”
• David Miller, “Solidarity and its sources”

Lunch

The Politics of Diversity and Solidarity

• Peter Hall, “The Politics of Diversity in Historical Context”
• Rainer Bauböck, “National Identity and European Solidarity”
• Bo Rothstein, “Diversity, the Quality of Governance and Solidarity”

Dinner

Friday, 21 February 2014

Public Attitudes on Diversity and Solidarity

• Wim van Oorschot /Tom Reeskens, “Popular opinions on the citizenship rights of newcomers in Europe”

• Marc Helbling / Celine Teney, “Elite versus public attitudes to diversity and solidarity in Germany”

• R. Johnston/ S. Soroka / J. Citrin / M. Wright, “Diversity and solidarity: new evidence from Canada and the US”

Lunch

The Politics of Diversity and Solidarity: country cases

• Karen Borevi, “Diversity and Solidarity in Sweden and Denmark”
• Edward Koning, “Identity, Solidarity, Nation-building: the Year 2002 in Dutch Politics”
• Patrick Loobuyck / David Sinardet, “Belgium: Solidarity within and across communities”

Concluding Commentaries

• Joakim Palme
• Philippe van Parijs

Workshop brought to you with the collaboration of: