Insights into the construction of cultural realities: Foreign newspaper discourses about the burkini ban in France

Abstract

The burkini ban introduced by several French coastal cities in August 2016 caused a great stir in France and abroad. Discussions were mostly articulated around the topics of secularism, religion, and national identity and values. This study examines foreign perspectives on the burkini ban in France to gain insights into the construction of cultural realities. Informed by Cultural Studies and Critical intercultural communication, this study approaches the construction of cultural realities by investigating the articulation of similarities and differences. A thematic analysis of newspaper articles (N ¼ 167) from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland was conducted to identify the categories evoked to construct similarities and differences. Findings indicated subtle shifts between old and refined commonalities. Throughout the data, France was cast away and represented as ''the deviant other'' while Muslims and Islam were associated with representations of ''us.'' However, underlying tensions indicated ambivalence in the redefinition of symbolic differences and similarities. Specifically, the figure of the Western Muslim and the construction of the burkini as ''appropriate difference'' suggested the persistence of hierarchical relations between ''us'' and ''them.'' Cultural realities therefore appeared to be both liquid and solid. In addition, findings underlined the dialogic construction of cultural realities as differences and similarities were constructed at different levels (national and transnational) that became meaningful through their interactions.

Kurdish gender politics: Funeral ceremonies of female fighters

“…Entrances to public spaces are regulated, and the prioritized identities are assigned strategic positions (Aslan, 2014; Yılmaz, 2013; Yüksel, 2006). Dress code regulations for women in public institutions in Turkey and Iran to create the image of a modern nation (Aslan, 2014; Jung & Piccoli, 2001; Kandiyoti, 1997; Nereid, 2011; White, 2003), and the ban on burqas and burkinis in France to protect nation's secular image are a few examples (Alibhai, 2019; Sommier, 2019). To follow Benedict Anderson's (1986) suggestion that, to comprehend nationalism, one needs to think carefully about how it comes to be, it is necessary to understand nationalist discourses as how they stratify pre‐existing social identities in ranks on a national scale.…”

‘Culture’ as a discursive resource in newspaper articles from Le Monde about secularism: constructing ‘us’ through strategic oppositions with religion

“…Researchers have drawn attention to the construction of (national) culture by the media, representations of 'us' and 'others', and power relations embedded in media discourse constructed by and constructive of culture (e.g. Anderson 1991;Sommier 2017b;Cottle 2000;Hall 1997). Furthermore, some studies have focused on the construction of culturally resonant meanings in media discourse.…”

“…This is especially important in France where secularism is part of the social and cultural fabric (Gunn 2004). Studies have drawn attention to the relations between secularism and national representations (Sommier 2016(Sommier , 2017a(Sommier , 2017bBaubérot 2007). Secularism in France is also intertwined with discourses about immigration and integration.…”