Kerry O'Halloran

The state is legally required to be neutral towards religion, but in many countries it is increasingly anything but. This book conducts a comparative legal analysis of the church–state relationship within and between western countries – including the USA, France and Israel – that are key players in international and domestic dynamics in which religion and religious conflict take centre stage. It analyses how government accommodates diversity, how policies of multiculturalism and pluralism translate into legislation, the extent to which they address matters of religion and belief and what pattern of related issues then come before the courts. Finally, it considers how civil society and democracy in general can maintain a balance between the interests of those of different religions and beliefs and those of none. In this illuminating study, Kerry O'Halloran shows how the relationship between religion and government affects civil society and the functioning of democracy in North America and Europe.

The state is legally required to be neutral towards religion, but in many countries it is increasingly anything but. This book conducts a comparative legal analysis of the church–state relationship within and between western countries – including the USA, France and Israel – that are key players in international and domestic dynamics in which religion and religious conflict take centre stage. It analyses how government accommodates diversity, how policies of multiculturalism and pluralism translate into legislation, the extent to which they address matters of religion and belief and what pattern of related issues then come before the courts. Finally, it considers how civil society and democracy in general can maintain a balance between the interests of those of different religions and beliefs and those of none. In this illuminating study, Kerry O'Halloran shows how the relationship between religion and government affects civil society and the functioning of democracy in North America and Europe.

Generations of festering culture wars, compounded by actual wars in predominantly Muslim countries, the terrorism of Isis, and the ongoing migrant crisis have all combined to make religious discrimination the most pressing challenge now facing many governments. For the leading common law nations, with their shared Christian cultural heritage balanced by a growing secularism, the threat presented by this toxic mix has the potential to destabilise civil society. This book suggests that the instances of religious discrimination, as currently legally defined, are constrained by that cultural context, exacerbated by a policy of multiculturalism, and in practice, conflated with racial, ethnic or other forms of discrimination. Kerry O'Halloran argues that many culture war issues - such as those that surround the pro-choice/pro-life debate and the rights of the LGBT community - can be viewed as rooted in the same Christian morality that underpins the law relating to religious discrimination.

This book continues the themes addressed by its five predecessors in this series by examining the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child as addressed in international legislation and by international courts. It provides a record of the key cases in the development of the principle as articulated primarily by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and complemented by rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC). It identifies and assesses themes arising from the many decades of ECtHR cases dealing with issues affecting the welfare interests and rights of children as referred to the Court from the 46 Member States that comprise the Council of Europe. By differentiating between the functions of the welfare principle and those of children’s rights – in the public (care, protection, and control), in the private (matrimonial, adoption, etc.), and in the hybrid (adoption from state care, etc.) sectors of family law – it reveals how the law relating to children is changing across Europe. By examining the international framework of legislation and related caselaw it identifies and assesses the themes in that law as they have unfolded over time. In addition to a digest of international cases and legislation – that identifies and tracks the role of the welfare principle and the emerging rights of children – lawyers, academics, and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how the law has evolved to reflect corresponding changes in social mores. For those interested in politics and social policy, there is much illuminating evidence on how the law has balanced this principle relative to others – such as proportionality and subsidiarity – within both civil and criminal contexts.

This book examines jurisdictional differences in the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child in common and civil law and focuses on differences within these two legal traditions. By identifying and analysing the functions of the principle both in the public and private sector of family law, the book compares and contrasts different jurisdictions and assesses their capacity to implement children’s welfare interests and rights. Covering a variety of topics including child abuse and neglect, state care, adoption and reproductive rights and family breakdown, the book demonstrates how welfare interests and rights can be balanced to create a coherent framework for family law. In addition to providing an up-to-date digest of cases and legislation, the book will be of interest to researchers in the field of child welfare and family law.

This book examines reproductive rights and their complex interaction with the law and with society, exploring differing perspectives and placing these in their respective cultural, social and religious contexts.Kerry O’Halloran explores the socially divisive question of abortion and, using examples from both developing and developed countries, considers how context determines the legal position. He also addresses a plethora of issues surrounding related reproductive rights including maternity care, IVF, adoption and surrogacy, genetic engineering, and establishing the reproductive rights of trans persons. In navigating all of these, O’Halloran reflects on fundamental questions such as where the public and private divide lies in exercising one’s right to autonomy, and how reproductive rights have contributed to the progression of gender parity. The book carefully identifies internationally established legal benchmarks with references to key principles, policies and case law, and explores future developments in reproductive health, such as the rights of men giving birth and pioneering ways of determining foetal sentience.Reproductive Rights and the Law is an essential guide for scholars and students in health law, family law and legal theory. Its practical insights will also greatly benefit policymakers and practising lawyers, as well as healthcare professionals, social workers and NGOs.

This book contrasts and compares the different application of the law relating to the welfare interests and rights of children in France and Germany. It does so by applying the same matrix of indicators to explore jurisdictional differences between welfare interests and rights in the contexts of public family law (civil – care and protection etc and criminal – youth justice etc); private family law (matrimonial, adoption etc); and hybrid public/private family law (wardship, adoption from state care etc). By profiling the nations in accordance with the same indicators it reveals important jurisdictional differences in the extent to which welfare interests or rights determine how the law is currently applied to children in France and Germany.This volume will be of interest to academics and researchers engaged in law, legal studies, and social policy, and also to policymakers, administrators, and professionals working within child welfare systems.

This book contrasts and compares the different application of the law relating to the welfare interests of children in Australia and New Zealand including, respectively, the Indigenous and Maori children of those countries. It does so by applying the same matrix of indicators to explore jurisdictional differences between welfare interests and rights in the contexts of public family law (civil – care and protection etc and criminal – youth justice etc); private family law (matrimonial, adoption etc); and hybrid public/private family law (wardship, adoption from state care etc). By profiling the nations in accordance with the same indicators it reveals important jurisdictional differences in the extent to which welfare interests or rights determine how the law is currently applied to children in Australia and New Zealand.

This book focuses on the role and content of the principle of the welfare interests of the child, considers the extent to which the principle has changed following its varied elevation by the introduction of paramountcy and reviews the distinction between welfare interests and rights.Providing an updated record of developments in the framework of relevant international law, the book assesses the contemporary relevance of established and emerging themes in the flow of cases dealing with the welfare interests and rights of children in England, Wales, Ireland, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany. By identifying and analysing the functions of the principle in hybrid proceedings (including adoption from state care and commercial surrogacy) the book completes the analysis of the law relating to children in public (care and protection) and in private (divorce, custody, etc.) family law as a whole, revealing characteristic jurisdictional differences and facilitating a comparative assessment of their significance. By examining the international framework of legislation and related caselaw it identifies and assesses unfolding themes in the law relating to children. In addition to a digest of international cases and legislation that identifies and tracks the role of this principle in civil and criminal law, lawyers, academics and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how it has evolved to reflect corresponding changes in society.

This book continues the themes addressed by its two predecessors in this mini-series by examining the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child in the law of the U.S. and Canada. It provides a record of the key milestones in its development in each country and conducts a comparative analysis of the contemporary law relating to children in both. In doing so, it focuses also on the Indigenous communities – the AN/AI and the First Nations – of the U.S. and Canada respectively.By identifying and analysing the functions of the principle in the public (care, protection and control, etc), private (matrimonial, adoption, etc) and hybrid (adoption from care, surrogacy, etc) sectors of family law, it builds a picture of the law relating to children in the two countries and reveals significant jurisdictional differences. By examining the legislation and related caselaw, it assesses the different effects of the same legal framework on the welfare of Indigenous and other children.In addition to a digest of cases and legislation that identifies and tracks the role of this legal principle, lawyers, academics and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how it has evolved to reflect corresponding changes in social mores. For those interested in politics and social policy, there is much illuminating evidence of how the law has balanced this principle relative to others in both civil and criminal contexts.

For the first time since 1601, a number of leading common law nations have almost simultaneously chosen to revise and place on the statute books the law relating to charity. The Politics of Charity examines the reasons for this and for the varying legislative outcomes. This book examines the legal framework and political significance of charity, as developed within England & Wales, contrasts this with the experiences of other common law nations and explores the resulting implications for government/sector relationships in those countries. It suggests that charity law lies at the heart of the relationship between government and the non profit sector, that there is an unmistakeable political agenda driving charity law reform and that the differential in legislative outcomes reflects important differences in the policies pursued by the governments concerned.Looking at fundamentally different approaches of government towards the sector in the UK, Ireland, the US, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore and Australia, O’Halloran argues the results will have implications for the present workings of parliamentary democracy. The Politics of Charity will be a valuable resource for academics, regulators and legal practitioners as well as advanced and postgraduate students in law, politics and public policy.

This book examines jurisdictional differences in the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child in common and civil law and focuses on differences within these two legal traditions.By identifying and analysing the functions of the principle both in the public and private sector of family law, the book compares and contrasts different jurisdictions and assesses their capacity to implement children’s welfare interests and rights. Covering a variety of topics including child abuse and neglect, state care, adoption and reproductive rights and family breakdown, the book demonstrates how welfare interests and rights can be balanced to create a coherent framework for family law.In addition to providing an up-to-date digest of cases and legislation, the book will be of interest to researchers in the field of child welfare and family law.

This book traces the evolution of the welfare interests of the child principle over the centuries in England & Wales to provide a record of the key milestones in its development. It does so by comparing and contrasting the part it has played in the public – care, protection and control – and in the private – matrimonial, adoption etc – sectors of family law.By analysing the content of the principle this book discloses the essence of what has been termed ‘the golden thread running through the common law’. By considering the ways in which the legal system has shaped and been shaped by the principle, it reveals its structural influence. By identifying and assessing the significance of its operational role and functions, it shows how this principle has changed the law relating to children.In addition to a digest of cases and legislation that tracks the evolution of this legal principle, academics and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how that evolution reflects the corresponding changes in social mores. For those interested in the ethics and morality, there is much illuminating evidence on how the law has balanced this principle relative to others within both civil and criminal contexts.

This book continues the themes addressed by its five predecessors in this series by examining the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child as addressed in international legislation and by international courts.It provides a record of the key cases in the development of the principle as articulated primarily by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and complemented by rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC). It identifies and assesses themes arising from the many decades of ECtHR cases dealing with issues affecting the welfare interests and rights of children as referred to the Court from the 46 Member States that comprise the Council of Europe. By differentiating between the functions of the welfare principle and those of children’s rights – in the public (care, protection, and control), in the private (matrimonial, adoption, etc.), and in the hybrid (adoption from state care, etc.) sectors of family law – it reveals how the law relating to children is changing across Europe. By examining the international framework of legislation and related caselaw it identifies and assesses the themes in that law as they have unfolded over time.In addition to a digest of international cases and legislation – that identifies and tracks the role of the welfare principle and the emerging rights of children – lawyers, academics, and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how the law has evolved to reflect corresponding changes in social mores. For those interested in politics and social policy, there is much illuminating evidence on how the law has balanced this principle relative to others – such as proportionality and subsidiarity – within both civil and criminal contexts.

This book contrasts and compares the different application of the law relating to the welfare interests and rights of children in France and Germany. It does so by applying the same matrix of indicators to explore jurisdictional differences between welfare interests and rights in the contexts of public family law (civil – care and protection etc and criminal – youth justice etc); private family law (matrimonial, adoption etc); and hybrid public/private family law (wardship, adoption from state care etc). By profiling the nations in accordance with the same indicators it reveals important jurisdictional differences in the extent to which welfare interests or rights determine how the law is currently applied to children in France and Germany.This volume will be of interest to academics and researchers engaged in law, legal studies, and social policy, and also to policymakers, administrators, and professionals working within child welfare systems.

This book contrasts and compares the different application of the law relating to the welfare interests of children in Australia and New Zealand including, respectively, the Indigenous and Maori children of those countries. It does so by applying the same matrix of indicators to explore jurisdictional differences between welfare interests and rights in the contexts of public family law (civil – care and protection etc and criminal – youth justice etc); private family law (matrimonial, adoption etc); and hybrid public/private family law (wardship, adoption from state care etc). By profiling the nations in accordance with the same indicators it reveals important jurisdictional differences in the extent to which welfare interests or rights determine how the law is currently applied to children in Australia and New Zealand.

This book continues the themes addressed by its two predecessors in this mini-series by examining the role of the principle of the welfare interests of the child in the law of the U.S. and Canada. It provides a record of the key milestones in its development in each country and conducts a comparative analysis of the contemporary law relating to children in both. In doing so, it focuses also on the Indigenous communities – the AN/AI and the First Nations – of the U.S. and Canada respectively.By identifying and analysing the functions of the principle in the public (care, protection and control, etc), private (matrimonial, adoption, etc) and hybrid (adoption from care, surrogacy, etc) sectors of family law, it builds a picture of the law relating to children in the two countries and reveals significant jurisdictional differences. By examining the legislation and related caselaw, it assesses the different effects of the same legal framework on the welfare of Indigenous and other children.In addition to a digest of cases and legislation that identifies and tracks the role of this legal principle, lawyers, academics and other researchers will find a wealth of information on how it has evolved to reflect corresponding changes in social mores. For those interested in politics and social policy, there is much illuminating evidence of how the law has balanced this principle relative to others in both civil and criminal contexts.

This book traces, assesses and compares the history of conscientious objection – in the cultural context of six common law nations – from refusal of military service and a range of similar moral dilemmas, to objecting to abortion, to the current social polarisation surrounding vaccination hesitancy in the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers the impact of this form of dissent in relation to social movements like Black Lives Matter, social activists such as Gandhi, and whistle blowers like Daniel Ellsberg. It reflects on the relationships between the sacred and the secular, the state and the citizen, in order to better understand the responsibilities of citizenship in our increasingly secular societies. It analyses what defines the conscientiousness of an objection from both legal and ethical standpoints. It examines what constitutes a matter of conscience, why this should justify exemption from civic duties and why this form of dissent has such a time-honoured status. It exploresthe increased reliance on “grounds of religion, belief or conscience” as providing justification for excusing some citizens from complying with certain responsibilities – mandated by equality and non-discrimination legislation – that are binding for all others. By conducting a comparative evaluation of national law and judicial rulings on a fixed agenda of issues, this book identifies key jurisdictional differences concerning conscientious objection. In so doing, it highlights the importance of cultural context and constructs a jurisdiction-specific overview of legislation, policies and case law. By tracking policy developments and highlighting crucial judicial rulings – particularly in the US – it provides insights into the probable future direction of developments in national law relating to conscientious objection. Lastly, the book draws attention to some of the potential consequences of manifesting dissent by opting out of performing public services – e.g. the possible local breakdown of specific service availability (e.g. abortion, officiating at same-sex marriages, and immunisation); prompting population movements as established democratic civil rights are locally negated (reproductive rights, LGBT rights, right to health protection); fragmenting society into a geographic patchwork of regions in which some citizens are branded as conservative/reactionary and others as progressive; and fuelling the culture wars – with profound implications for a coherent democratic society.

Balancing a child’s welfare interests and rights so as to ensure recognition and respect for his or her autonomous identity, while facilitating family unity, has become a major challenge for modern family law. This book, following on from The Principle of the Welfare of the Child: A History, examines, contrasts, and compares the response of England and Wales and Ireland to that challenge. It does so by applying the same matrix of indicators to explore, in each country, the distinction between welfare interests and rights and to trace changes in the balance between them. By profiling the nations in accordance with the same indicators, it reveals important jurisdictional differences in the extent to which welfare interests or rights determine how the law is currently applied to children.