Cultural human rights as new foundations for interculturalist policies: a rights-based approach from Québec

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores how cultural human rights could inspire culturally diverse societies in the search for interculturalist policies. Currently, some approaches to interculturalism aim at a utilitarian management of cross-cultural relations; and others, at normative forms of nation-building. However, in the future, cultural human rights may represent alternative foundations for such policies. They provide important insights into cultural identities and group belonging; into participation to a community’s cultural life; and, crucially, into culture as a living, dynamic and relational process. Once inscribed in legal documents, cultural rights could provide culturally diverse societies with rights-based foundations for developing substantive interculturalist policies. Included among the cultural human rights that deserve legal recognition are the right to know other cultures and the right to freely enjoy cultural interactions.