Pluriel

University platform for research on Islam

Initiated by
the Federation
of European
Catholic
Universities

Supported by
the International
Federation
of Catholic
Universities

Publisher : Presses de l'Université Laval - Québec

French

2021
396

Identity, ‘race’, freedom of expression. Critical perspectives on some of the debates that fracture the left

Edited by : Rachad Antonius and Normand Baillargeon

In recent years, there has been much debate in civil society and universities about freedom of expression, secularism, “race”, sex and gender, identity, justice, diversity, and even the status of truth and the value of science, often in a very virulent manner. These debates have revealed divisions and even fractures, often deep ones, within the left. Is a new cartography of politics taking shape? Why do some of the positions adopted by part of the current left seem, to so many others who also claim to be on the left, to reproduce positions traditionally associated with the right? Is this a fair assessment?

This book proposes a reflection on these cleavages and brings together contributions from many people who claim to be on the left in the broadest sense but who are troubled by these debates, and who seek not only to understand their scope but also to grasp the blind spots in some of the positions defended by the various parties. The analyses that are put forward do not aim to deny or eliminate the often legitimate concerns of the left that they criticise. But they do seek to propose a treatment that does not disregard either the rationalist heritage of the Lumières or that of rights and freedoms, which have traditionally been supported by the left.

Sous la direction de : Rachad Antonius et Normand Baillargeon

Au cours des dernières années, dans la société civile mais aussi à l’université, on a beaucoup débattu de liberté d’expression, de laïcité, de « race », de sexe et de genre, d’identité, de justice, de diversité, et même du statut de la vérité et de valeur de la science, tout cela souvent de manière très virulente. Ces débats ont fait apparaître des divisions et même des fractures, souvent profondes, au sein de la gauche. Une nouvelle cartographie du politique est-elle en train de se dessiner ? Pourquoi certaines des positions adoptées par une partie de la gauche actuelle semblent-elles, à tant d’autres qui se réclament eux et elles aussi de la gauche, reproduire des positions traditionnellement associées à la droite ? Ce jugement est-il juste ?

Cet ouvrage propose une réflexion sur ces clivages et réunit pour cela les contributions de nombreuses personnes qui se réclament de la gauche au sens large mais qui sont troublées par ces débats, et qui cherchent non seulement à en comprendre la portée mais aussi à saisir les angles morts de certaines des positions défendues par les uns et les autres. Les analyses qui sont avancées ne visent pas à nier ou à faire disparaître les préoccupations souvent légitimes portées par ce pôle de la gauche qu’elles critiquent. Mais elles cherchent à en proposer un traitement qui ne fasse fi ni de l’héritage rationaliste des Lumières ni de celui des droits et libertés, qui ont traditionnellement été portés par la gauche.

“على مر السنوات الأخيرة، انتشر النقاش حول حرية التعبير، والعلمانية، والعرق، والجنس والنوع الاجتماعي، والهوية، والعدالة، وحقيقة العلوم وقيمتها على مستوى المجتمعات المدنية والجامعات بشكل كبير، وذلك بطريقة شرسة جدًا. وقد أظهرت هذه النقاشات انقسامات أو حتى شروخ تُعدّ عميقة داخل اليسار. هل نحن في خضم رسم خارطة سياسية جديدة؟ لماذا يبدو أن بعض المواقف التي يتبناها جزء من اليسار الحالي، بالإضافة إلى التي يتبناها كثيرون يزعمون انتماءهم إلى اليسار، تشبه إلى حد كبير المواقف التي عادة ما ترتبط باليمين؟ أيعدّ هذا الحكم عادلًا؟
يعرض هذا الكتاب وجهات نظر حول الانشقاقات، ويجمع لتحقيق ذلك مساهمات عدد من الأشخاص الذين يدّعون انتماءهم إلى اليسار بالعنوان العريض، ولكنّهم يتأثّرون بهذه النقاشات ولا يبحثون عن فهم نطاقها فقط، بل عن اكتشاف النّقاط الغامضة في بعض المواقف التي يدافع عنها البعض. ولا تهدف التحليلات المقدّمة إلى إنكار الهواجس المشروعة التي تنقلها هذه المجموعة من اليساريّين المعرّضة للانتقاد أو القضاء عليها، إنّما تبحث إلى اقتراح حلول لا تتجاهل الإرث العقلاني التنويري من جهة ولا إرث الحقوق والحريات من جهة أخرى، التي عادة ما يدافع عنه اليسار.

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