Intercultural Dialogue and Citizenship

edited by Léonce Bekemans, Maria Karasinska-Fendler, Marco Mascia, Antonio Papisca, Constantine A. Stephanou, Peter G. Xuereb

The volume is the result of the European Research Project on "The role of intercultural dialogue for the development of a new (plural, democratic) citizenship", promoted by a network of Jean Monnet Chaìrs and Centres of Excellence and European Community Studies Associations (ECSA), and co-financed by the European Commission and the Region of Veneto. Its many contributions provide timing, wide-ranging and diversified survey of the various aspects of both the internal and external politica1 and institutional dimensions of the intercultural dialogue, conceived as a fundamental component of social cohesions and human security. The redefinition of citizenship as a plural (pluralist) concept is an essential part of the intercultural discourse, in view of opening new horizons and ways for the practice of participatory and deliberative democracy from the city up to the European Union and to other international institutions, then providing opportunities to allto exercise the same fundamental rights in the "inclusive city". In thiscontext new roles are offered to civil society organisations and movements and to local government institutions. The research work hasbeen carried out by four transnational Teams respectively at the Universities of Lodz (and European Institute), Panteion Athens (ECSA Greece), Malta, Padua, under the coordination of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and the Interdepartmental Centre on Human Rights and the Rights of Peoples of the University of Padua.