Canadians often imagine their country as a multicultural democracy, while a few go further to claim that the country's diversity can be characterized as multinational in its social and institutional make-up. In Federalism, Citizenship, and Quebec, Alain-G. Gagnon and Raffaele Iacovino reveal how this notion has been falsely presented to the populace. Through comprehensive historical, contemporary, and critical accounts, they argue that the country has been the object of an aggressive nationalizing project that contravenes the principles of a 'multinational federation.' Gagnon and Iacovino defend a conception of diverse citizenship for Canada that is truly suitable to a durable and just constitutional association and provide an alternative path for the country based on normative, socio-political, and practical considerations associated with multinational democracy. Including a detailed account of the main challenges associated with Quebec's place in the federation, Federalism, Citizenship, and Quebec stands apart from other English-language studies on multinational democracy, citizenship, and federalism, and, most notably, multinational democracy in Canada. Gagnon and Iacovino ground their work in both history and theory, offering a truly interdisciplinary approach that will appeal to scholars from fields as diverse as Canadian and Quebec politics, comparative politics, and political and legal theory. The book will contribute to awareness of the need for appreciating diversity in contemporary societies while being a useful addition to English Canadian students in these fields, who often lack exposure to many of the rich debates proceeding in Quebec.
Canadian federalism, as a particular form of political organization for a complex society—with multiple economic, political, geographic, cultural, and national divides—faces important challenges. The political realignment that brought the Conservative Party to power in the last quinquennium has set in motion a significant transformation of the Canadian state and its federal system of governance. The contributors in this collection focus on three recurrent themes: the issues arising from the management of ethno-cultural diversity; the existence of internal nations in Canada (the First Nations and the Quebec nation in Quebec), the presence of linguistic minorities (French and English), and the questions of identity linked to citizenship in a federal context that allows for the presence of multiple loyalties; and the specific challenges raised by globalization and the extension of economic integration, particularly between the United States and Canada. This collection of studies on the role of the state reveals that our understanding of the evolution of the Canadian state, and of the ensuing impact on federalism and federal-provincial relations, is not as complete as it should be.
This will help us customize your experience to showcase the most relevant content to your age group
Please select from below
Login
Not registered?
Sign up
Already registered?
Success – Your message will goes here
We'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.