Laïcité

LAÏCITÉ

Laïcité in France finds its roots in the Loi du 9 décembre 1905 concernant la séparation des Églises et de l'État, which has remained in force since that date with only minor amendments. It is commonly translated into English as ‘secularism’ but in truth there is no translation which can exactly reflect the proper meaning of the term. Nor is there any equivalent north of the Channel which can serve as a comparison. The doctrine affects nearly every aspect of public life in France and yet its detail and its impact are little known outside that country. It could be said that in order to understand France it is necessary to understand laïcité, and to know how it operates today in France, in a religious context quite different from 1905.  

This important topic will be the subject of a seminar to be held on Thursday 3 April at 1800 hrs. Our speaker will be Terry Olson, a member of the Conseil d’État and former Chief judge of the Administrative Court of Appeal of Versailles. For those wishing to attend in person, the event will be held at the Mackenzie Building in Old Assembly Close at 172 High Street, Edinburgh. Wine and soft drinks will be served after the talk. The event can also be watched remotely for those who wish. The talk will be given in English but those who would like to ask questions in French should feel free do so.

Registration is not essential for those attending in person but it would be useful if you could do so simply so that we may have an idea of numbers. For those who wish to attend remotely, please indicate your interest by sending an email to [email protected] .