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Religious Diversity in the Workplace: Towards a Theory of Negotiation

Religion
Business
Negotiation
Normative Theory
Political theory
Elise Roumeas
University of Oxford
Elise Roumeas
University of Oxford

Abstract

Including the workplace as a locus of inquiry for political theorizing on religion and public life has become critical. Recent controversies, such as the Baby Loup nursery affair in France, indicate a demand for such an investigation. Firms are indeed laboratories of religious diversity. Potential issues include discriminations on religious grounds; interfaith tensions which become an obstacle to collaboration within the firm; conflicts between internal norms and obligations of faith, such as daily prayers, proselytism, or religious signs; and gender-related issues, such as the obligation to keep a certain physical distance between men and women. This Paper aims to reflect upon the conditions of a fair negotiation within a firm for addressing conflicts stemming from religious diversity. I start with a deliberately loose working definition of negotiation, as a process of give-and-take between two or more parties aiming at reaching an agreement. In different national contexts, there are a great deal of normative sources regulating employers and employees’ rights and duties, such as national legislation, jurisprudence or local conventions negotiated with trade unions. But the legal path might not always be sufficient or desirable. Courts are overwhelmed with cases that could perhaps have been dealt with internally. A legal battle is costly for the parties in conflict and could exacerbate tensions. Some issues might not require a general law, and should instead be addressed case by case, such as days off for religious ceremonies. Fair internal negotiation complements the rule of law.