Equality Paradigms and Contemporary Politics of Recognition

The present chapter attempts to relate the theoretical considerations made to current policy practice and the implications this may have for recognised or unrecognised groups in minority situations. More precisely, we engage with the cultural and political demands raised by minority groups which may coincide and lead to amalgamation of ‘intercultural demands’ as these concern the public sphere and institutions; others address this under the label ‘legal accommodation of difference’ or ‘group-differentiated citizenship’. These broadly reflect what has become known as politics of recognition and their different strands in contemporary politics as it is demanded by, inter-alia, minority or subaltern groups, feminist thought or the politics of multiculturalism and plurinationalism at large. The chapter approaches the problem emerging with the ignorance of difference that builds on the premise of a culturally homogenous State: the normative (the ‘ought to’ question relating to equality paradigms or differentiated treatment) and the empirical (‘on the ground realities’ of inequalities) enter a contested field of negotiation here with often contrasting portrayals of societal (in)equality. More thought is devoted to those factors impeding recognition politics from developing true effectiveness, political couleur requiring our special attention in that regard. In that sense, the equality principles, non-discrimination paradigms or human rights non-specificism will be examined in view of the changing panorama of governance processes, political alliances and the dangers for minority situations as they are posed by the political right-wing and the growing instrumentalization of equality paradigms.