Religious, cultural, and minority rights

The world's first democracy, the United States, was founded in large part as a reaction against religious oppression. So it's no surprise that the protection of rights to religious and cultural beliefs and practices are cornerstones of democratic societies. And yet, even in our heterogeneous world, protections for ethnic and religious minorities can seem fragile at best. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world's challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called "the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried." Each title in this series contains an introduction, color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions--building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. And a Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.