Freedom of Religion, Minrities, and The Law

* Provides a concise legal overview of a complex and highly topical subject
* Examines the legal context of principles underlying religious freedom and minority rights, including the Human Rights Act 1998, the EC Equality Directives, and the Equality Act 2006
* Includes coverage of recent topical and high-profile cases such as Begum, regarding the wearing of Muslim dress in a state school
* Combines detailed analysis with a clear assessment of the practical and procedural issues which practitioners face

Over the past fifty years, England has experienced considerable immigration, and as a result, the population has become increasingly religiously and culturally diverse. This plurality has inevitably raised fundamental questions about the individual and group rights and equality and non-discrimination on the one hand, with tolerance and social cohesion on the other. At a practical level the debates range from the issue of wearing religious clothing in schools to demands for the establishment of additional faith schools, through to requests for employment leave to perform religious rites.