Toleration out of conflicts. Review article of Reiner Forst’s ‘Toleration in Conflicts’
| DOI | 10.1177/1474885114562499 |
| Published date | 01 April 2015 |
| Date | 01 April 2015 |
| Author | Elisabetta Galeotti |
| Subject Matter | Review article |
European Journal of Political Theory
2015, Vol. 14(2) 246–255
!The Author(s) 2014
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DOI: 10.1177/1474885114562499
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Review article
Toleration out of conflicts.
Review article of Reiner
Forst’s ‘Toleration in
Conflicts’
Elisabetta Galeotti
Universita
`del Piemonte Orientale, Italy
Abstract
Rainer Forst’s Toleration in Conflict is a significant contribution to the important topic of
toleration. Its critical survey of various arguments for and around toleration is thorough
and rigorous. However, although Forst’s argument for the respect concept of toleration
is persuasive, the claim that this is a tolerant theory of toleration located at a higher
level than other arguments is perhaps less so.
Keywords
Toleration, moral reasons, reasons for objection, reasons for acceptance, reasons for
rejection
1.
Toleration in Conflict is a monumental work critically canvassing the arguments for
and around toleration advanced from ancient times to the present. Though the
English edition is an abridged version of the original German volume, the book is
impressive not only for its size, but also for representing a systematic effort to
provide an encompassing examination of a complex subject in a multidimensional
way. Toleration is explored by Rainer Forst not only by a thorough reconstruction
of its historical development, but also by taking into account three important
features. First, Forst is aware of the way toleration raises various theoretical
questions—normative, epistemological, political. Second, he sees the import-
ance of the two perspectives from which toleration can be applied, the horizontal
between citizens and the vertical between the state and citizens. Third, Forst
acknowledges the importance of context for practices of toleration. The stu-
dent of toleration will find this work an invaluable gold mine of materials and
resources helpful for teaching as well as for research purposes. Forst’s work,
Corresponding author:
Elisabetta Galeotti, Universita
`del Piemonte Orientale, Via Galileo Ferraris 116, Vercelli 13100, Italy.
Email: elisabetta.galeotti@lett.unipmn.it
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