Secularism, State Policies, and Muslims in Europe<BR> Analyzing French Exceptionalism

What Makes Muslims Feel French?

“…France has approximately five million Muslim residents, more than any other European country (Kepel 1991;Laurence and Vaisse 2006;Ternisien 2002). It has been the site for some of the most highly politicized debates in Europe about Muslim practices, such as whether it is appropriate to wear headscarves and veils in schools and on the streets (Joppke 2009b;Kuru 2008). In addition, the French tradition of secularism conflicts with some Muslims' desires to make claims about the social or political value of their religious practices Bowen 2007;Scott 2010).…”

On the Viability of State-Church Models: Muslim Burial and Mosque Building in France and the Netherlands

“…Observing convergence, defined in a minimalistic sense (as does Joppke, 2007), would imply that all European countries increasingly try to accommodate those Muslim demands belonging to the core of religious freedom. By contrast, a remaining difference thesis would suggest that this is not the case, and that some countries pursue restrictive and discriminatory policies, whereas others are open to Islam (e.g., Kuru, 2008). But more broadly conceived, the convergence/remaining difference debate could also focus on whether countries not only provide opportunities for basic requirements, but that they do so in a similar way.…”

Citizen Outsider: Children of North African Immigrants in France

“…10 It has often been employed to stress the assimilation of immigrantorigin individuals (Bowen 2006;Kuru 2008). The French state cannot promote any individual religion, and individuals are encouraged to keep their religious affiliations to themselves (Bowen 2004b).…”

“…When considering the ratios of regular mosque participation to regular church participation, French Muslims are as secularized as other French people Kuru 2008;Laurence and Vaisse 2006). According to a 1999 study, about 18 percent of second-generation Muslim immigrants attend mosque regularly, about 28 percent attend mosque sometimes, and about 54 percent never attend mosque (Penn and Lambert 2009) 30.…”