State and Religion

This book addresses the regulation of the relationship between States and religious groups, investigating agreements, conventions, and statutes. It focuses on the legal consequences of affiliation to a religious group, and explores the possible instruments for introducing some forms of “consensual legal pluralism”.

The special norms provided by denominational agreements are considered: “special rights” or “exemptions” provided by the state, which fall under the protection of religious liberty and, in some cases, require special instruments to be ensured. Agreements, conventions, and statutes are seen in light of the constitutional protection of fundamental rights, especially the constitutional principle of religious freedom, which is guaranteed to everyone, regardless of the creed professed, whether by the majority, or by minorities or by ultra-minoritarian communities.

Cinzia Piciocchi is associate professor of Comparative constitutional law; her publications deal with cultural pluralism, biolaw, constitutional rights.

Davide Strazzari is associate professor of Public comparative law and the author of publications regarding immigration, antidiscrimination law, and pluralism.

Roberto Toniatti is professor emeritus of Comparative constitutional law; he is the author, editor and co-editor of books and articles dealing with law and pluralism, comparative constitutional justice, minorities’ rights, multiculturalism.

They are all at the University of Trento.