An Investigation into the Socio-Political Dissonance between the French Government and the Islamic French Minority

• Main Author: Exley, Alexandria
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2017
• Subjects: France; Religion; Secularism; Burqa; Politics; Culture; Comparative Politics; European Languages and Societies; French and Francophone Language and Literature; International Relations; Islamic Studies
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/honors/369; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1459&context=honors

The Islamic minority in France today is experiencing adversity as the government of France passed legislation stating that all facial coverings will be henceforth illegal, restricting or prohibiting religious symbols in various public spaces. Some Islamic women feel as though this is a pointed attack on women of the Muslim faith for their choice to wear traditional clothing which covers the face and body. There have been outcries that this is a human rights violation and restriction of religious rights. This project is an examination of the effects of France’s “burqa ban” and restrictions on religious symbols on both Islamic men and women who live in France. The goal of this project is to speak directly to those affected by this legislation and to understand the perspective and opinions of French Muslims. Records such as documented personal testimonies, legal archives, and transcriptions of in-person interviews are utilized to study the perspective of this minority in response to the controversial legislation. Neglecting to pursue an understanding of another culture and belief system will only yield disharmony among groups, and this research aims to avoid this phenomenon. In collecting the data, I set a goal to have and later discuss a better understanding of this issue and the people affected by it.