Liberal Citizenship and the Search for Overlapping Consensus: The Case of Muslim Minorities

Abstract

In this article I seek to establish what political liberalism demands of Muslim citizens living as minorities in liberal states by way of a doctrinal affirmation of citizenship. This is an inquiry of a special nature. My interests are not directly in what policies a liberal state should have, nor in what practices on the part of citizens are compatible with justice and equality, but rather in what views emerging from a comprehensive doctrine are reasonable responses to the liberal terms of social cooperation. My aim is to establish with as much precision as possible when it can be said that there is a consensus on the terms of social cooperation in a liberal society and thus that the comprehensive doctrine in question is providing its adherents with moral reasons for endorsing those terms. Thus, this is an inquiry into liberal political theory, but one inspired by the special concerns, misgivings and anxieties of a particular comprehensive doctrine.

Keywords: Islam, liberalism, citizenship, overlapping consensus, loyalty