La cittadinanza delle donne fra diritti e riconoscimento

The Conflict between Universal Rights and Group Rights: The Case of Women
Universal rights are undergoing a crisis in Western societies. The recognition of group identity, with its privileging of difference, is challenging and threatening to subvert the principle of equality. To a certain extent, recognition of group identity is not inconsistent with universal equality, provided that we consider the maximization of individual liberty as the main criterion for evaluating political theory and policy. In other words, a request for group recognition is acceptable in a democratic society when it is necessary for the individuals who share that group identity to feel free and be free. The mere conservation of group identity is not a sufficient aim, and perhaps a bad aim, if it conflicts with individual liberty. Women present a special case. Though women are not a homogeneous group, there is a female identity that has been historically and socially constructed and which largely influences the life and fortune of the individual. Women need social recognition of their identity to enjoy true liberty.