French Muslims

Sharif Gemie

Description

This book provides a detailed analysis of the political arguments about the place of Muslims in contemporary France, and also discusses the ideas put forward by a range of Muslim thinkers. France has become the setting for one of the most important conflicts in the modern world. On the one hand, it possesses a rigidly organized, centralized state, whose bureaucrats and civil servants are animated by a code of secular activism. On the other hand, France is also the home for Europe's largest Muslim minority, variously estimated at numbering between four and six million people. This means that in terms of simple numbers, France can be counted as the world's fifteenth Islamic power. Previous conflicts with religion have left a deep impression on French political culture: from the sixteenth and seventeenth-century conflicts between Catholics and Protestants played to the formation of the collaborationist Vichy government in 1940. In recent decades, Muslims have been stigmatized as an irreconcilable minority unable to adapt to the secular culture of the majority of French citizens. This work draws out the political implications of the current conflict. It is based on events and publications produced in a single five year period, beginning with the shock of the 2002 Presidential elections, in which Le Pen was the second most successful candidate, ranging through the legislation of March 2004 which banned the Islamic headscarf from French state schools, and which sparked off a series of bad-tempered exchanges between left and right-wing French nationalists, anti-racism campaigners, secularists, anti-clericals and a variety of Muslim authors.
Introduction Chapter one: Drink, Consumption and Identity Chapter two: Changes to a National Drinking Culture Chapter three: A new French Wine Drinking Culture? Chapter four: Contemporary Discourses and Representations Chapter five: Ethnographies and Contexts Chapter six: Passion for Wine and Life-Stories Chapter seven: Between Self-Reflexivity, Distinction and Social Connectedness Chapter eight: Globalisation, Nation and the Region, The New Wine Drinking Culture

Sujets

• Islamic Studies
• Social Science
• France

Informations

• Publié par: University of Wales Press
• Date de parution: 01 août 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780708323182
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Gender Studies in Wales
Gendering Border Studies
Edited by
Jane Aaron, Henrice Altink
and Chris Weedon
University of Wales Press00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page i
french and francophone studies
French Muslims00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page ii
Series Editors
hanna diamond (university of Bath)
claire Gorrara (cardiff university)
Editorial Board
ronan le coadic (université rennes 2)
nicola cooper (swansea university)
didier francfort (université nancy 2)
sharif Gemie (university of Glamorgan)
h. r. Kedward (sussex university)
Margaret a. Majumdar (university of portsmouth)
nicholas parsons (cardiff university)
Max silverman (university of Leeds)00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page iii
French Muslims
New Voices in Contemporary France
Sharif Gemie
university of waLes press
cardiff
201000 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page iv
© sharif Gemie, 2010
all rights reserved. no part of this book may be reproduced in any
material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by
electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some
other use of this publication) without the written permission of the
copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the
copyright, designs and patents act 1988 or under the terms of a licence
issued by the copyright Licensing agency Ltd, saffron house,
6–10 Kirby street, London, ec1n 8ts. applications for the copyright
owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication
should be addressed to the university of wales press, 10 columbus walk,
Brigantine place, cardiff, cf10 4up.
www.uwp.co.uk
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
isBn 978-0-7083-2209-3 (hardback)
978-0-7083-2320-5 (paperback)
e-isBn 978-0-7083-2318-2
the right of sharif Gemie to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77, 78 and 79 of
the copyright, designs and patents act 1988.
typeset by Mark heslington Ltd, scarborough, north yorkshire
printed by cpi antony rowe, chippenham, wiltshire00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page v
Contents
series editors’ preface vi
acknowledgements vii
Glossary viii
introduction: at the funeral 1
chapter one: the war of symbols: a chronicle of a debate
foretold 17
chapter two: chahdortt djavann: assimilation as Liberation 48
chapter three: fadela amara: assimilation as social reform 66
chapter four: organizations and institutions 86
chapter five: tariq ramadan: an islamic Liberation theology 112
chapter six: houria Bouteldja: a native in the republic 133
conclusion: after the funeral 159
epilogue 167
notes 169
select Bibliography 204
index 21700 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page vi
Series Editors’ Preface
this series showcases the work of new and established scholars
working within the fields of french and francophone studies. it
publishes introductory texts aimed at a student readership, as well
as research-orientated monographs at the cutting edge of their
discipline area. the series aims to highlight shifting patterns of
research in french and francophone studies, to re-evaluate
traditional representations of french and francophone identities and to
encourage the exchange of ideas and perspectives across a wide
range of discipline areas. the emphasis throughout the series will
be on the ways in which french and francophone communities
across the world are evolving into the twenty-first century.
hanna diamond and claire Gorrara00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page vii
Acknowledgements
this is my fifth book. it would be nice to say that i find that they’re
getting easier; this has not been the case, and this work in particular
has led me to analyse some new and difficult issues. however, i have
truly enjoyed writing this book, and i hope that alongside the
polemics and political passion that this book considers, this work
will inspire readers to share my interest in these topics.
at various points i have called on friends and colleagues to help,
advise, guide and even warn me about my many draft versions of
this book. in no particular order, i’d like to thank, paul chambers,
ruth Kinna, anthony fiscella, penny richards, Brian ireland, Laure
humbert, Gavin edwards, chris Meredith, tom cahill, ali wardak,
Mona al- honi and Louise rees for assistance with particular
awkward points; sarah Lewis, the commissioning editor for
university of wales press, for her encouragement and, in particular,
for her invaluable assistance during a difficult moment in January
2008. and also patricia clark, for so much.00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page viii
Glossary
ccMtf comité de coordination des musulmans turcs de france:
coordinating committee of turkish Muslims of france.
cfcM conseil français du culte Musulman: french council of
the Muslim faith. see chapter four.
cfdt confédération française démocratique du travail:
democratic french confederation of Labour. created in
1964, it is now the largest trade union federation in
france. normally seen as moderate left.
cGt confédération générale du travail: General confederation
of Labour, created in 1895. the second largest trade
union confederation in france, normally seen as
leftwing.
crcM conseil regional du culte Musulman: regional council
of the Muslim faith. there are twenty-five regional
councils, all forming part of the cfcM.
ept une école pour tou-te-s: a school for everyone (with the
french title specifying all girls and all boys). organization
formed to protest against the proposed law on religious
symbols in schools in february 2004. see chapters four
and six.
fnMf fédération nationale des Musulmans de france: national
federation of Muslims of france, Moroccan linked
Muslim organization, created in 1985 in opposition to the
grande mosquée.
fsu fédération syndicale unitaire: united syndical federation.
founded in 1993, the fsu is the largest union of
secondary school teachers.
Ldh full title: Ligue française pour la défense des droits de
l’homme et du citoyen, normally shortened to Ligue des
droits de l’homme: League of the rights of Man.
founded in 1898, during the dreyfus affair, and dedi-00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page ix
Glossary ix
cated to the defence of human rights. often seen as a
left-of-centre organization.
Mir Mouvement des indigènes de la république: Movement
of the natives of the republic. radical, anti-colonialist
movement, created in 2004. see chapter six.
Mrap Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les
peuples: Movement against racism and for friendship
between peoples, created in 1949. Left-wing anti-racist
organization.
uoif union des organisation islamiques de france: union of
islamic organizations of france, founded in 1983. see
chapter four.00 Prelims_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:54 Page x
‘We don’t need people like you!’
‘And do you think that I need you?’
‘No, no, no. You and your veil, you can go back home!’
‘But this is my home.’
‘Your home? You’ll never be at home here!’
‘Is that so? What makes you more French than me?’
‘The veil, it’s not French! This is a Republic! Watch out! I’ve warned you!’
1Street confrontation, Lille, c.2006–701 Introduction_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:59 Page 1
Introduction
At the Funeral
We loved you so much.
1Houria Bouteldja, 2005
There were times when I could not stop myself from admiring
Jacques Chirac. As president of the French Republic, he seemed to
incarnate the dignity of statesmanship in a manner that left his
contemporary, Tony Blair, looking amateurish. One of these
moments occurred in September 2003. Readers may remember the
extraordinary heatwave which swept across Europe during that
summer, stifling dozens of old, frail people in many cities. In Paris,
as elsewhere, there were tragic cases in which, days after their death,
lonely anonymous corpses were found in cheap apartments, under
bridges and in wastelands, the last remains of tramps, alcoholics and
down-and-outs. Often no one came forward to claim them, despite
the best efforts of the Parisian authorities to identify them and to
locate relatives. Finally, in September 2003, a decision was taken to
bury these wretched, lost victims, with the municipality arranging
the procedures. At that moment, Chirac stepped in. He chose to
attend these funerals, for even a dead tramp was a citizen of the
Republic. Chirac’s presence embodied a type of trans-political
solidarity that transcended social, cultural and political divisions. This
incident may have been the last occasion on which the values of
French Republicanism were successfully presented as embodying
ideals of social inclusion.
There were no cameras at the municipal funeral. Unlike Blair,
Chirac understood the power of publicity without photographs: his
gesture demonstrated a finely crafted political instinct, rooted in a
perceptive evaluation of French people’s sensibility, which
eloquently asserted a principle without argument or conflict.01 Introduction_French Muslims 03/08/2010 12:59 Page 2
2 French Muslims
I was therefore amazed at some press reports early in December
2003. Chirac visited Tunis, and spoke to some school students. They
raised the question of Muslim schoolgirls wearing veils. Chirac’s
response was astonishing. He explained to the Tunisian students
that they had to understand that there was ‘something aggressive’
about the veil: wearing one to school raised a question of principle.
Chirac referred to the Stasi Commission that was considering this
question in the context of a larger study of the nature of laïcité (a
2term to be explored in the next chapter). Chirac’s comments on
the veil were odd. There seemed to be something almost comic
about the idea that the president of France was voicing his concern
about aggressive schoolgirls. More seriously, there was also a stark
contrast between these values and his previous pronounc