210354 VO D1, G8: Gender, Immigration and Cit.ship in Europe (2006W)

VO-Leiterin: Sawitri Saharso
Due to colonialism and international migration most European societies today are culturally diverse. Different national European states have tried to regulate immigration by developing immigration rules. This gives rise to the normative question whether entrance to the liberal state can be restricted, and if so, on what grounds, but also to the empirical question on what grounds European states have restricted access to their territory. By taking the Dutch case as an example it will be argued that rules on immigration and access to citizenship are hardly ever gender neutral.
Immigrant groups have made religious and cultural claims. With respect to the accommodation of immigrant minority groups' claims, we see much variation between states. Taking the hijab or Islamic headscarf as a case in point, it is claimed that this variation, i.e. the extent to which they are willing to accept differentiated citizenship rights among their citizenry, corresponds with their ideas of nationhood and citizenship.
It has been argued that individual rights should be supplemented with cultural group rights. Why do we need cultural group rights? And are there no costs to group rights? It has been pointed out that recognition of minority claims may be at the expense of the rights of women. The points of tension have included the legitimacy of 'cultural defence' in cases involving violence against women; how to respect practices of arranged marriage while still ensuring that young people are protected from forced marriage; how public authorities should respond to requests for sex selective abortion or female genital cutting; and whether the Islamic headscarf should be permitted in schools or courts. The challenge in addressing these supposed tensions is to ensure that public authorities intervene effectively against practices that are harmful to women, whilst remaining sensitive to the cultural identities and interests of minority women, and continuing to respect women's autonomy.
1. Introduction
2. Immigration/mixed marriage
3. Immigration/family norms

4. Cultural Recognition/Group rights
5. Hijab: institutional contexts
6. Hijab: national contexts

7. Feminism vs. Multiculturalism
8. The Netherlands: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
9. Women's right of choice: the case of sex selective abortion

10. Honour killing/ cultural defence
11. Female genital cutting
12. Autonomy revisited: Is Freedom of the Will but a Western Illusion?

10.10.: 12-13:30; NIG, 2.Stock, Zimmer A221

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13.12.: 13:30-15; NIG, 2.Stock, HS 2 (A218) und 18-20; Uni-Hauptgebäude,
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