Constitutional Roundtable with Prof. Vrinda Narain
Falconer Hall, Solarium, 84 Queens Park, Toronto
Asper Centre Constitutional Roundtable: Prof. Vrinda Narain
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 12:30 – 2:00 PM
Location: Falconer Hall Solarium, University of Toronto Jackman Faculty of Law, 84 Queen’s Park
Details: Light lunch provided · All are welcome · No RSVP required
Towards a Critical Multiculturalism: Inclusive Equality and the Accommodation of Difference
Speaker
Vrinda Narain is a Full Professor in the Faculty of Law at McGill University. Her research and teaching focus on constitutional law and feminist legal theory.
Abstract
Towards a Critical Multiculturalism challenges the assumptions underlying Canadian multiculturalism and its reliance on “reasonable accommodation.” It argues that, rather than fostering genuine inclusion, these frameworks often reinforce the dominance of the majority culture by requiring minorities to conform, adapt, or accept mere tolerance. Drawing on feminist constitutionalism, intersectionality, and critical race theory, the book examines how these dynamics disproportionately affect those situated at the intersections of multiple forms of marginalization, especially Muslim women. It calls for a critical multiculturalism grounded in substantive equality—one that embraces cultural difference rather than merely managing it.