en pl
en pl

Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne studia nad prawem

Show issue
Year 2019 
Volume 11 
Issue 4

A Few Remarks on the Concept of Secularism and the Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights

Tomasz Famulski
Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Wydział Prawa i Administracji

2019 11 (4) Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne studia nad prawem

DOI 10.7206/kp.2080-1084.340

Article contents

Abstract

The article is divided into two parts. The first part discusses a certain concept of secularism, where secularism is considered to be composite of three principles: separation of church and state, freedom of religion, and equality. Subsequently, the European Convention on Human Rights is reflected upon with that concept of secularism in mind. While it does not warrant separation of church and state, freedom of religion and equality are enshrined in it. Therefore, the Convention may be considered secularist to an extent. In the second part, three of the European Court of Human Rights landmark cases are analyzed with regard to secularism. While not much can be said about Kokkinakis v. Greece on its own, the comparison with Leyla Şahin v. Turkey and Lautsi v. Italy allows to point out that appearance of secu­larism (understood as one of its components – the principle of separation) provides the Court with a possibility to defer to the doctrine of the margin of appreciation and draw the focus away from the actual violation of the principles enshrined in the Convention. Finally, it is noted that the only appearance of the concept of secu­larism as a personal conviction in the Court’s judgment is inconclusive.

References

  1. Calo Z.R., Pluralism, Secularism, and the European Court of Human Rights, „Journal of Law and Religion” 2010–2011, 26(1), pp. 261–280. [Google Scholar]
  2. Eberle C., Cuneo T., Religion and Political Theory, [in:] E.N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford 2017. [Google Scholar]
  3. Gunn T.J., The “Principle of Secularism” and the European Court of Human Rights: A Shell Game, [in:] J. Temperman, T.J. Gunn, M.D. Evans (eds.), The European Court of Human Rights and the Freedom of Religion or Belief. The 25 Years since Kokkinakis, Leiden–Boston 2019, pp. 465–572. [Google Scholar]
  4. Hoopes T., The Leyla Sahin v. Turkey Case Before the European Court of Human Rights, „Chinese Journal of International Law” 2006, 5(3), pp. 719–722. [Google Scholar]
  5. Kurtul A.K., Secularism and the European Court of Human Rights, https://www.academia.edu/30080790/SECULARISM_AND_THE_EUROPEAN_COURT_OF_HUMAN_ RIGHTS_AN_UNCANNY_RELATIONSHIP. [Google Scholar]
  6. Piechowiak M., Negatywna wolność religijna i przekonania sekularystyczne w świetle sprawy Lautsi przeciwko Włochom, „Przegląd Sejmowy” 2011, 5(106), pp. 37–68. [Google Scholar]
  7. Campbell and Cosans v. the United Kingdom, no. 7511/76; 7743/76, ECHR 1982. [Google Scholar]
  8. Kokkinakis v. Greece, no. 14307/88, ECHR 1993. [Google Scholar]
  9. Lautsi v. Italy, no. 30814/06, ECHR 2009. [Google Scholar]
  10. Lautsi v. Italy [GC], no. 30814/06, ECHR 2011. [Google Scholar]
  11. Leyla Şahin v. Turkey, no. 44774/98, ECHR 2004. [Google Scholar]
  12. Leyla Şahin v. Turkey [GC], no. 44774/98, ECHR 2005. [Google Scholar]
  13. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/secularism [Google Scholar]
  14. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secularism [Google Scholar]
  15. https://www.secularism.org.uk/about.html [Google Scholar]
  16. https://www.secularism.org.uk/what-is-secularism.html [Google Scholar]
  17. https://sjp.pl/sekularyzm [Google Scholar]
  18. Calo Z.R., Pluralism, Secularism, and the European Court of Human Rights, „Journal of Law and Religion” 2010–2011, 26(1), pp. 261–280. [Google Scholar]
  19. Eberle C., Cuneo T., Religion and Political Theory, [in:] E.N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford 2017. [Google Scholar]
  20. Gunn T.J., The “Principle of Secularism” and the European Court of Human Rights: A Shell Game, [in:] J. Temperman, T.J. Gunn, M.D. Evans (eds.), The European Court of Human Rights and the Freedom of Religion or Belief. The 25 Years since Kokkinakis, Leiden–Boston 2019, pp. 465–572. [Google Scholar]
  21. Hoopes T., The Leyla Sahin v. Turkey Case Before the European Court of Human Rights, „Chinese Journal of International Law” 2006, 5(3), pp. 719–722. [Google Scholar]
  22. Kurtul A.K., Secularism and the European Court of Human Rights, https://www.academia.edu/30080790/SECULARISM_AND_THE_EUROPEAN_COURT_OF_HUMAN_ RIGHTS_AN_UNCANNY_RELATIONSHIP. [Google Scholar]
  23. Piechowiak M., Negatywna wolność religijna i przekonania sekularystyczne w świetle sprawy Lautsi przeciwko Włochom, „Przegląd Sejmowy” 2011, 5(106), pp. 37–68. [Google Scholar]
  24. Campbell and Cosans v. the United Kingdom, no. 7511/76; 7743/76, ECHR 1982. [Google Scholar]
  25. Kokkinakis v. Greece, no. 14307/88, ECHR 1993. [Google Scholar]
  26. Lautsi v. Italy, no. 30814/06, ECHR 2009. [Google Scholar]
  27. Lautsi v. Italy [GC], no. 30814/06, ECHR 2011. [Google Scholar]
  28. Leyla Şahin v. Turkey, no. 44774/98, ECHR 2004. [Google Scholar]
  29. Leyla Şahin v. Turkey [GC], no. 44774/98, ECHR 2005. [Google Scholar]
  30. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/secularism [Google Scholar]
  31. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secularism [Google Scholar]
  32. https://www.secularism.org.uk/about.html [Google Scholar]
  33. https://www.secularism.org.uk/what-is-secularism.html [Google Scholar]
  34. https://sjp.pl/sekularyzm [Google Scholar]

Full metadata record

Cite this record

APA style

Famulski, Tomasz (2019). Famulski, T. . (2019). A Few Remarks on the Concept of Secularism and the Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne Studia Nad Prawem, 11(4), 33-50. https://doi.org/10.7206/kp.2080-1084.340 (Original work published 2019)

MLA style

Famulski, Tomasz. Famulski, T. . “A Few Remarks On The Concept Of Secularism And The Judgments Of The European Court Of Human Rights”. 2019. Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne Studia Nad Prawem, vol. 11, no. 4, 2019, pp. 33-50.

Chicago style

Famulski, Tomasz. Famulski, Tomasz . “A Few Remarks On The Concept Of Secularism And The Judgments Of The European Court Of Human Rights”. Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne Studia Nad Prawem, Krytyka Prawa. Niezależne studia nad prawem, 11, no. 4 (2019): 33-50. doi:10.7206/kp.2080-1084.340.

Copyright info

copyright info

CC-BY-NC-ND

People also read: