Of Hedgehogs and Representation: Chasing Religious Persecution in Law

Abstract

We hear about ‘religious persecution’ with great regularity in recent years, but what is meant by it? Where there is a rallying call of ‘religious persecution’, what precisely is meant by that? Is there a minimum threshold for a situation qualifying as religious ‘persecution’? Is it in fact occurring with greater regularity than in past decades or is it just being reported more? Is it increasingly politicized and, if so, why? This article analyzes these questions.

Keywords:

• Religious persecution
• freedom of religion or belief
• law

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nazila Ghanea

Nazila Ghanea is Associate Professor in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. She serves as Associate Director of the Oxford Human Rights Hub and is a Fellow of Kellogg College (BA Keele, MA Leeds, MA Oxon, Ph.D. Keele). She serves as a member of the OSCE Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief and on the Board of Trustees of the independent think tank, the Universal Rights Group.