Table of Contents
Acknowledgements v
Table of Cases ix
Table of Legislation xxv
1 'Equality', 'Discrimination' and the Law: an Introduction 1
Structure of the Book 3
The Legal Framework 6
The Equality Act 2010 6
EU Law 8
Human Rights Act 1998/Article 14 9
The Common Law 10
'Equality' and 'Discrimination' 14
'Formal' and 'Substantive' Equality 20
Dignity and Equality 23
Alternative Conceptions of Equality 33
2 Defining the Protected Characteristics 38
Introduction 38
The US Equal Protection Clause: the Roots of the Ground-Based Approach 39
Canada: 'Enumerated' and Analogous' Grounds 49
Choosing Grounds: Avoiding Essentialism 52
Challenging a Grounds-Based Approach 54
'Status' and Inequality 60
Avoiding Over-Stretch 63
Competing Private Interests 63
Reconsidering 'Protected Characteristics' 66
3 'Equality' and '(A)symmetry' 70
Introduction 70
International Comparisons 75
Canada 75
South Africa 77
The EU 79
The United States 81
A Question of Principle? 88
'Groups', 'Discrimination' and Disadvantage 90
Anti-Essentialist Asymmetry 95
Conclusion 96
4 The Evolution of Equality Law 101
Introduction 101
Domestic Law 106
'Likeness' as a Method of Rationing: a Canadian Alternative? 118
Developments in the European Court of Human Rights 123
5 Competing Equalities 135
Introduction 135
The Legal Framework: Domestic 136
The Legal Framework: The European Convention on Human Rights 141
Religious Wars? Religion, Belief and Conflict 150
Defending the Indefensible? 150
Bending the Equality Act Out of Shape? 156
The European Convention: A 'Religious Right' to Discriminate? 157
Discrimination Because of the Beliefs of Others: A Convention Right? 159
Domestic Law, Discrimination and Religion/Belief 166
What Room for Protection of Individual Belief? 167
The Case for Limited Statutory Regulation of 'Religious' Discrimination 169
Religious Collectives: The Scope of Exemptions 174
6 Multiculturalism and Equality 182
Introduction 182
'Multiculturalism' 187
Multiculturalism and Equality 193
Striking a Balance? The Example of Religious Family 'Law' 202
The Privatisation of Family Law 209
Conclusions 224
7 Conclusion 227
Bibliography 237
Index 251
