Constitutional Law and Diversity: The Impact on Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Identities

This book investigates the use of constitutions in managing ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. Many countries have diversities based on ethnicity, culture or religion. In some instances, these diversities cause conflicts. Typically, these conflicts arise when the underlying diversities are made politically salient, as when ethnic, religious and linguistic identities are used to achieve a political end. Recognising this, constitutions are often used as a means of managing conflict. The book analyses and assesses the specific techniques used by constitution makers to achieve this management of diversity and the conflicts that can be associated with it. Using this analytical framework, the book assesses the constitutions of three countries that have adopted significantly different approaches to managing diversity: Ethiopia, Nigeria and India.

The work will be a valuable resource for academics, researchers and policy-makers working in the fields of Constitutional Law, Comparative Constitutional Law, Comparative Politics and Federalism.