Religious Language and Political Legitimacy: a Moral Theory of Multicultural Engagement

During the second half of the twentieth century, demands for cultural rights precipitated a debate about the validity of different attitudes towards integration and accommodation in western democracies. While traditional liberal theories emphasise universal principles of political justice, pragmatist perspectives tend to deny the possibility of moral consensus and endorse strategic action in pluralist societies. In contrast to these views, Habermas proposes a comprehensive theory of communicative action that allows individuals to resort to their substantive worldviews for the evaluation of moral norms and constitutional principles. Though limited in scope, given the requisite translation of ethical and religious contents, Habermas’ project can still shed light on issues related to the dynamics of intercultural evaluation, once communicative acts allow for a narrative conception of rationality. Considering contemporary developments on the politics of identity and some recent events that have been raising general concern over the security and cultural integrity of European countries, this theoretical approach offers a particular solution to cultural struggles, contending that both minorities and majorities must engage in communicative procedures for mutual learning. In this process, every participant, including religious citizens, is obliged to give a rational account of their moral views.