Abstract

MIRANDA, Francisco Javier. The configuration of the citizen identity in a multicultural context . Prax. filos. [online]. 2008, n.27, pp.135-148. ISSN 0120-4688.

As alternative to two conceptions of citizenship, on the one hand, a naturalized and pre-political conception of citizen identity -particularistic and exclusive -, and, on the other hand, another universalistic and inclusive conception, extremely abstract, defined in a contractualistic way and in juridicalpolitical terms; this paper presents, based on a moral defense of culture like a context of freedom, the proposal of Jürgen Habermas, according to which both the procedures of the constitutional State and the democratic way of legitimization produce a new level of integration and social cohesion. Furthering a republican conception of democracy, Habermas's proposal helps integrate cultural diversity without recognizing the group rights that certain multiculturalist authors demand. At the same time, it also represents a democratic way of drawing together universalistic moral ideals and the particular realities of the western political communities.

Keywords : multiculturality; integration; citizenship; freedom; deliberative democracy.

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