Right to the Holy Word. A Brief Approach to Linguistic Claims in a Pluri-cultural Public Sphere: An Italian Case-Study

Abstract

Evaluating linguistic rights—or any type of claim in legislation on the basis of cultural differences—is a difficult task for legal professionals working within the framework of the contemporary pluralistic state. This paper lays down some simple methodological guidelines for the assessment and classification of these rights by recently established minority religious groups in Europe, especially Islamic groups in Italy, within a democratic and pluralist polity. It is divided into two sections. The first concerns the definition and interpretation of “culture” as a legal good, as depicted from many kinds of international and constitutional provisions on the subject. The second deals with language rights of Muslim communities in the Italian legal system.