*** JEAN BAUBEROT (Ed.): La laïcité à l'épreuve. Religions et libertés dans le monde. Universalis (18 rue de Tilsitt, F-75809 Paris Cedex 17. Fax: (33-1) 45720343 - E-mail: contact@univresalis.fr - Internet: http://www.universalis.fr ). "Le tour du sujet" series. 2004, 196 pp, 12.50 euro. ISBN 2-85229-786-8.
As a French law banning the wearing of ostensible religious insignia at school hits the headlines, secularism is a very topical issue. Jean Baubérot, honorary president of the Ecole pratique des hautes études, was the only member of the Stasi Committee to argue against the plan to ban the wearing of religious insignia at school. On 9 December 2005, France will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the law separating Church and State. Rather than restricting its approach to the strictly French aspects of the commemoration, this book raises a fundamental question: "Will secularism provide an opportunity for the twenty-first century?" As far as Jean Baubérot is concerned, the answer is yes if there is renewed dialogue and if there is positive debate about the various forms of secularism (which is one of the aims of the essay-writers in this book).
First of all the paradoxes of the French secular system are analysed, followed by the way Islam is challenging secularism in mainland France. In Farhad Khosrokhavar's view, France is in the process of moving from 'integration secularism' to 'exclusion secularism' with the effect of creating 'excluded, stigmatised communities'. The next essay analyses the connections between Muslim states and secularism, far more varied and complex than typical stereotypes might suggest. Secularism has changed in the wake of history and social changes and the European project is a massive challenge in this connection, and is examined in a separate chapter. The European Union is described as containing a hard core of fundamental secular principles, the impact of the different historical experiences of its Member States. In several countries in Europe, unlike France, political autonomy was not acquired following a conflict with the dominant religion, which means that genuine separation between Church and State is not always incompatible, in Jean-Paul Willaime's view, with "recognition of the role of religions in the public arena". He adds that Europe is well and truly secular in laws and mentality and this 'acknowledged secularism' has been crystallised in the European Constitution.
The book then looks at the specific cases of the United Kingdom and Italy, followed by North America and Brazil. It ends with a series of dossiers, including a brief history of secularism in France and analysis of the phenomenon of secularisation, religious extremism and fundamentalism.
Stéphanie Tuetey
*** OLIVIER DORD: Laïcité: le modèle français sous influence européenne. Fondation Robert Schuman (29 bld Raspail, Paris 6. Tel.: (33-1) 53638300 - Fax: 53638301 - Internet: http://www.robert-schuman.org ). "Notes de la Fondation Robert Schuman" series. 2004, 90 pp, 10 euros.
This new newsletter in the attractive and always highly interesting blue series published by the Fondation Robert Schuman, headed by Jean-Dominique Giuliani, provides useful additional material to the previous issue, which it also concludes. Senior lecturer in public law at Université de Paris X-Nanterre, in this book Olivier Dord studies the specific nature of French secularism within the European framework and the way the links between public authorities and religions are organised and experienced in each EU Member State. After explaining how the French idea of secularism forms an original model within the EU Member States, the author goes on to analyse how religions are organised in the United Kingdom ("union in diversity"), Germany ("autonomy for cooperation" and Greece, a special case in terms of the identification of a state with a religion. In the second part of the book, Prof. Dord explains how European law is helping to change the French model of secularism. He shows how Europe does not oppose the French concept, but is even accompanying the model it gives rise to these days. From the description of different set-ups, as former French minister Bernard Stasi explains (now President of the High Authority for Equality and Fighting Discrimination) it is clear that the countries of the European Union are virtually unanimous in their desire to base the links between political power and religion on freedom of religion, acceptance of diversity and the neutrality of the state, which this convergence helping to turn Europe, over and above the political and economic ties uniting its Member States, into a community of shared values.
(MT)
*** THANASSIS DIAMANTOPOULOS: Les systèmes électoraux aux présidentielles et aux législatives. Editions de l'Université de Bruxelles (26 avenue Paul Héger, CP 163, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 6503799 - Fax: (32-2) 6503794 - E-mail: editions@admin.ulb.ac.be - Internet: http://www.editions-universite-bruxelles.be ). "Sociologie politique" series. 2004, 192 pp, 17 euro. ISBN 2-8004-1339-5.
This book makes an in-depth analysis and a systematic classification of all the electoral systems used for parliamentary and presidential elections. How each system operates is studied in a relatively technical fashion. The first part of the book focuses on presidential elections and the direct or virtually-direct system (like in the United States). The second part focuses on parliamentary elections and considers proportional representation, first-past-the-post and hybrid systems. The author concludes that no electoral systems exist that are objectively superior, to others or that are preferable and can be satisfactorily applied across the board, since the arguments put forward by supporters of the various systems are equally valid. In Thanassis Diamantopoulos' opinion, so-called hybrid systems, particularly first-past-the-post proportional representation, may be the best compromise, encouraging stability and effective representative democracy. (STu)
*** PHILIPPE MOREAU DEFARGES: Comprendre la Constitution européenne. Editions d'Organisation (1 rue Thénard, F-75240 Paris cedex 05. Internet: http://www.editions-organisation.com ). 2004, 181 pp, 15 euros. ISBN 2-7081-3204-0.
Philippe Moreau Defarges is not only a prolific author who always intelligently navigates his way around the big European issues, but he is also somebody who knows how to make things simple and to extract the essential from complexity without biais or distortion. These are invaluable qualities these days, when it is a matter of taking European citizens by the hand to enable them to forge opinions on the European Constitution which are neither one-sided, partial nor short-sighted. How and why has the constitutional issue arisen? How was the draft Constitution formulated? How can the framework and instrument of the Constitution be used as levers to make the European Union into a genuine geopolitical unit? The author provides answers to these questions that are accessible to the man in the street, as recognised in the praise given by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing: "Your book on the European Constitution is remarkably clear and concise. May it find many readers when they are called upon to give their views on the text". The ideal would be for the book to also find a number of translators so that French speakers will not be the only ones to benefit from this book, an Open Sesame of understanding.
(MT)
*** Revue politique et parlementaire. Société d'Edition Diplomatique et Parlementaire (6 rue Labrouste, F-75015 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 45315805 - Fax: 45311879). July/August/September 2004, No. 1031, 228 pp, 24 euros. Annual subscription: 61 euros (France), 75 euros (elsewhere).
The bulk of this issue of the ever interesting Revue politique et parlementaire is given over to analysis of the mass absentions during the recent European elections. Hence the title of the dossier: "Elections suffering from Europe weariness?" This question clearly begs others: "Is it simply Europe weariness or is it a more serious crisis, a schism between communities and the ideal that has been on the move for more than fifty years?" Can the apparent indifference of voters to the European Parliament (but not only to the European Parliament, let us not forget) be put dwn to the fact that the dream of a federal Europe no longer holds or, on the other hand, is it the consequence of a round of enlargement felt to be over-rapid and where grand political ideas lost out to economic logic? These are some of the avenues of exploration studied in the book's essays, which provide a detailed analysis of facts, figures and trends, country by country. Not to be missed are Christian de Boissieu's traditional economic notes and an article in which Prof. Didier Maus demonstrates that with its Constitutional Treaty, the European Union continues to challenge all legal categories.
(MT)
*** The EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following documents:
*** The Common Agricultural Policy explained. DG Agriculture -Internal & External Communication ( 200 rue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels. e-mail: agri-library@cec.eu.int - Internet: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/ agriculture/index_en.htm). 2004, 34 pp. ISBN 92-894-8204-4
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is known as one of the European Union's biggest items of expenditure (taking up almost half the EU budget) and is sometimes seen in rather a negative light. It was, however, vitally important for getting Europe fed after the shortages of the Second World War. This brochure explains the ideas behind the CAP and how it operates. It explains how it has gradually dropped the objective of maximum production leels in favour of producing healthy food and preserving the environment and social structure in the countryside
*** A world player -The European Union's external relations. DG for Press and Communication Publications (B-1049 Brussels). 'Europe on the move' series. July 2004, 22 pp. ISBN 92-894-7414-9
This brochure explains how the European Union, originally created after the Second World War to bring the countries of Europe closer to one another, has gradually become a body which has a major impact on international relations. The EU has more than 450 million inhabitants (more than the United States and Russia combined) and is the world's biggest trading pole, generating almost a quarter of the world's wealth and the biggest aid donor to developing countries. This document explains how the EU runs its international relations policy, both in terms of the economy and development aid and in terms of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
*** Revue du marché commun et de l'Union européenne. Les Éditions Techniques et Économiques (3 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris. Tel.: (33-1) 55426131 - Fax: (33-1) 55426139 - e-mail: editecom@starnet.fr - Internet: http//http://www.editecom.com ). October - November 2004, No. 482, 66 pp.
This issue starts with an interview with former French foreign minister, Hubert Védrine, speaking about the Constitution and its ratification. He assesses the Constitution's achievements and chances of success and gives his views on how the Constitution is seen by citizens and what impact it will have on Europe's position on the global chessboard. Other articles also look at the Constitution, looking back over how it was drafted and underlining the importance of the values expressed in it. Other articles look at the question of Turkey joining the EU and the arguments 'pro' and 'con' (opponents tend to quote static factors like geography and religion, while those in favour tend to make arguments about the changes in the country, like Turkey's economic and demographic dynamism, changes to its legislation, etc.). There are also articles on the tricky issue of the right to asylum and how refugees are treated.
*** Jahresbericht 2003. Bertelsmann Stiftung (256 Carl-Bertelsmann-Strasse, D-33311 Gütersloh. Tel.: (49-52) 418181160 - 418181999 - e-mail: info@bertelsmann-stiftung.de - Internet: http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de ). 2004, 80 pp.
This looks back at the activities of the Bertelsmann Foundation in 2003, in various areas of life, like health and education, demographic changes, the European project and promoting European values. The report looks at new developments in education, like autonomy in terms of organisation and the curriculum, and the importance of education in terms of preventative medicine, even for very young children. The report also looks at the ageing population and its corollaries in terms of jobs for senior citizens and employment and social security reforms. The report also considers big European issues like enlargement and integration and international trade. Contact details for the managers of the Bertelsmann Foundation projects are listed in the annex.
Reviews in brief
***BEI Information. European Investment Bank. 2004, No. 2, Brussels. Information about the EIB's current and future activities. ***CEPI-Spécial recycling 2003 statistics. Confederation of European Paper Industries. October 2004, Special issue, Brussels. This report publishes paper recycling statistics for 2003, highlighting the fact that more paper is now being recycled due to rising demand for recycled paper.