Autonomy and multiculturalism

The essay contends that autonomy cannot be an adequate criterion for toleration of cultural practices. First of all, the two main notions of autonomy, one procedural and one substantive, are controversial and not fit for guiding political action. Second, autonomy is a status marker of citizenship and as such ascribed and not tested. The use of any concept of autonomy instead introduces unjustified moral distinctions among citizens and imples double standards as far as cultural practices are concerned. The limits of toleration for cultural practices is better to be fixed by the harm principle.