THE CRISIS OF MUSLIM IDENTITY IN SECULAR FRANCE: CHALLENGES AND A WAY FORWARD
Keywords:
Secularism, Identity, Universalism, AssimilationAbstract
Contemporary Europe is primarily identified as one of the heterogeneities inserted into a multicultural, secular mega state. The transformation of a culturally intact Europe into a multicultural and multiethnic entity began during 19 50s with the immigration of workers and labors, largely from Muslim countries of Africa and Asia, took place. The article specifically inquires about the case of France where the second largest religion is Islam. In France, the word Muslim and Islam often referred to a collective identity which is not limited to the mosque attendance and rituals only, but rather projected as a threat to the secular identity of France. France introduced two ideals of integration, i.e. Universalism and the French model of Secularism 'Laicite' to absorb the immigrants into social and public spheres. The French populist leaders, scholars, and media view Muslim community as a challenge to the secularist ideal because of its reluctance to espouse the secular values. Incidents and law-making specific to the use of Islamic symbols, association of young/ indigenous Muslims with terrorist network like ISIS, involvement of French Muslims in Paris attack and the economic dispossession of Muslim community are the main reasons for Muslims failing integration in secular France.References
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<p>Bowen, J. R. (2007). Why the French do not like headscarves: Islam, the state, and public space. Princeton University Press.</p>
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<p>Retrieved from: www.populationpyramid.net/Europe/2018.</p>
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<p>London: Routledge.
Evans, M. (2016). What is French Secularism, History Today, Retrieved from: https://www.historytoday.com/what-french-secularism</p>
<p>Foster, A. (2017). Terror attacks timeline: From Paris and Brussels terror to most recent attacks in Europe. Sunday Express. Retrieved from https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/693421/Terror-attacks-timeline France-Brussels-Europe-ISIS-killings-Germany-dates-terrorism</p>
<p>Gole, N. (2006). Islam in European publics: secularism and religious difference (1). The Hedgehog Review, 8(1-2),</p>
<p>Hackett, C. (2017). Facts about the Muslim population in Europe. Pew Research Center, Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact tank/2016/07/19/5-facts-about-the-muslim-population-in-europe/</p>
<p>Klausen, J. (2005). The Islamic challenge: politics and religion in Western Europe. London : Oxford University Press.</p>
<p>Laurence, J., & Vaisse, J. (2007). Integrating Islam: Political and religious challenges in contemporary France. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.</p>
<p>McLoughlin, S., & Cesari, J. (2016). European Muslims and the secular state.
New York: Routledge.</p>
<p>Piser, K. (2018) . French Secularism Is in Crisis. What Does That Mean for Muslim Youth?. The Nation, Retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/ article/french-secularism-is-in-crisis what-does-that-mean-for-muslim-youth</p>
<p>Ravitch, N. (1997). Your people, my people; your God, my God: French and American troubles over citizenship. French Review, 70(4), 515-527.</p>
<p>Schor, N. (2001). The crisis of French universalism . Yale French Studies,</p>
<p>Sniderman, P. M., Hagendoorn, L., & Hagendoorn, A. (2007). When ways of life collide: Multiculturalism and its discontents in the Netherlands. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.</p>
<p>Tahir, N. A. (Ed.). (2005). Immigration to Europe from South Asia and the Muslim World. Area Study Centre for Europe, University of Karachi.</p>
<p>The Economist. (2004). Why the French are so strict about Islamic head coverings. Economist Explains, The Economist. Retrieved from The Economist: https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2014/07/06/why the-french-are-so-strict-about-islamic-head-coverings</p>
<p>The Economic Times. (2014). Political Earthquake in France as far right National Front Triumphs in European Union Vote. The Economic Times. Retrieved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/intemational/world news/political-earthquake-in-france-as-far-right-national-front-triumphs in-european-union-vote/articleshow/35615859.ems</p>
<p>Waters, L. (2016). French or Muslim?" Rooted" French Perceptions of the Muslim Community in France. Boulder: University of Colorado Press.
<p>Webster, J. (2007). French Identity, Muslim Identity: Universalism, Lai'cite,Islamic Challenge (Doctoral dissertation, Thesis). Chapel Hill: University of Carolina.</p>
<p>World Population Review. (2019). France Population. World Population Review. Retrieved from http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/france population/</p>
<p>Zwilling, A. L. (2017). The struggle for laicite in France. In Jan Nelis; Caroline Sagesser; Jean-Philippe Schreiber. Religion and Secularism in the European Union. State of Affairs and Current Debates, Peter Lang, pp.68-74, 2017, Dynamiques citoyennes en Europe.</p>
Additional Files
Published
2019-07-15
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