Le Voile Intégral: European Politics of Fear?...........
”But in reality very few women in France wear the face veil - just a couple of hundred or so - and this hardly justifies a protracted nationwide campaign as if the country was besieged by some imminent threat, when, in fact, there is little evidence of extremism among French and European Muslims. Rather Muslims are increasingly demonstrating greater awareness of their status, rights and freedom of expression - political, religious and social. While much of this takes the shape of social and political activism, some also takes the form of a 'politics of identity' - which results at times in ghetto-like attitudes. While it underlines a cultural almost folkloric distinction of sorts at times, it de-emphasises or sets back the central struggle for social and political equal rights in Europe. But that does not deter populist French and European politicians from practicing a 'politics of fear' by continually warning against the spread of radical Islam and refer to Muslim Europeans as foreigners, when in reality a new generation of Muslims are either secular or integrated into their communities….....”
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