Creating an integrated society and recognising differences : the role and limits of human rights, with special reference to Europe

Abstract

Diversity is characteristic of all societies, and the expanding international migration we see today has rendered modern societies increasingly pluralistic.

Accommodating various groups – dealing with differences and managing diversity in practice – has become one of the most important contemporary challenges. The research at hand examines the role of international human rights norms in the efforts to address the challenges of maintaining diverse yet integrated societies. A comprehensive analysis of the norms is combined with practically oriented views on integration put forward by three international bodies. The focus is on the human rights documents which are applicable in Europe, with consideration of the approaches to integration taken within the European Union as well. The analysis draws on insights into integration beyond the human rights framework to enable a critical appraisal of the human rights regime and to elucidate the multifaceted elements that are required to foster incorporation into society and ensure successful integration. The general aim of the research is to determine the role and limits of the current international human rights norms in this process.