Kirpans, Law, and Religious Symbols in Schools
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10075594 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Satvinder Juss (corresponding author), S S Juss |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 758-795 |
| Publication date | 2013-12-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Church and State (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-969X • E-ISSN: 2040-4867 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/jcs/css058 |
| OpenAlex | W1974409016 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
“In Sikhism the Kirpan is an instrument of non-violence that should be used to prevent harm from being done to a defenceless person.”1 To what extent should the right to religious expression prevail over student safety concerns? The issue has arisen most dramatically in recent years with respect to Sikh students wanting to wear the kirpan in schools. It has arisen across the world in countries as diverse as Canada,2 the United States,3 Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. This is not unsurprising. The kirpan is not a humble object. It has been described as “a small, curved ornamental steel dagger”4 or “a sword”5 that is “commonly 7.5 centimetres long” and “is carried in a sheath and strapped to the body, usually under clothing.”6 The issue is of importance as one of individual religious expression. But it is also important because it calls into question the commitment to multiculturalism, pluralism, tolerance, and broad-mindedness that is the hallmark of the Western liberal democratic state.7
Political science · Sociology · Law · Religious Education and Schools
| Citations per year | 0.25 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2014 - 2024 (11) |
| Highly cited | No |