Abstract
This chapter delineates the societal and institutional context surrounding the participation of women from Muslim communities. Two aspects influence their action in the public domain: that of Islam and Muslims and their relation with majority society women’s movements and politics. First, the evolution of policies and conceptualisation of Muslim populations in their interaction with majority societies are examined, broadly in the context of British multiculturalism and of French laïcité. Islam and ‘Muslim’ emerged as a primary identification in the 1990s, in Britain with the War on Terror; in France through controversies about women’s Islamic dress. Second, this chapter considers the relationship between Muslim women and mainstream British and French women’s movements, exploring to what extent the issues they raise are integrated within women’s movement politics and feminist demands made of the state to improve women’s lives and how this relationship influences their political and civic action.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alibhai-Brown, Y. (2015). As a Muslim women, I see the veil as a rejection of progressive values. The Guardian, 20 March. Retrieved January 20, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/20/muslim-woman-veil-hijab
Allwood, G. (1998). French feminisms: Gender and violence in contemporary theory. London: UCL Press.
Allwood, G., & Wadia, K. (2000). Women and politics in France 1958–2000. London: Routledge.
Allwood, G., & Wadia, K. (2009). Gender and policy in France. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Amos, V., & Parmar, P. (1984). Challenging imperial feminism. Feminist Review, 17, 3–19.
Archer, M. (1995). Realist social theory: The morphogenetic approach. Cambridge: Camridge Unversity Press.
Audit Commission. (2008). Preventing extremism. Learning and development exercise. London: Audit Commission/HMIC. Retrieved August 24, 2015, http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/media/preventing-violent-extremism-learning-and-development-exercise-20080930.pdf
Aziz, R. (1992). Feminism and the challenge of racism: Deviance or difference? In H. Crowley & S. Himmelweit (Eds.), Knowing women: Feminism and knowledge (pp. 291–305). Cambridge: Polity Press.
Barry, B. (2001). The muddles of multiculturalism. New Left Review, 8, 49–71.
Baubérot, J. (1997). La morale laïque contre l’ordre moral. Paris: Seuil.
Baubérot, J. (2000). Histoire de la laïcité. Paris: PUF.
Baubérot, J. (2004). La laïcité en question. Paris: IFRI.
BBC News. (2006). “Remove full veils’ urges Straw. BBC News, 6 October. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5411954.stm
Beckford, J. (2003). Social theory and religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Beckford, J., & Gilliat, S. (1998). Religion in prison, ‘equal rites’ in a multi-faith society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Beckford, J., Joly, D., & Khosrokhavar, F. (2005a). Muslims in prison: Challenge and change in Britain and France. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Bertossi, C. (2004). Politics and policies of French citizenship, ethnic minorities and the European agenda. In P. Ruspini & A. Gorny (Eds.), Migration in the new Europe: East-west revisited (pp. 109–129). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Bindel, J. (2013). Why are my fellow feminists shamefully silent over the tyranny of the veil, asks Julie Bindel. Mail Online, 17 September. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2424073/Why-fellow-feminists-shamefully-silent-tyranny-veil-asks-JULIE-BINDEL.html
Boepflug, F., Dunand, F., & Willaime, J.-P. (1996). Pour une mémoire des religions. Paris: La Découverte.
Bouchier, D. (1983). The feminist challenge: The movement for women’s liberation in Britain and the USA. London: Macmillan.
Bourne, J. (1983). Towards an anti-racist feminism. Race& Class, 25(1), 1–22.
Bowen, J. R. (2004). Pluralism and normativity in French Islamic reasoning. In R. Hefner (Ed.), Remaking Muslim Politics (pp. 326–346). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Boyd, R. (n.d.). Race, place and class: Who’s speaking for who? British Library Spare Rib archives (theme: Representation and identity). Retrieved January 12, 2016, from http://www.bl.uk/spare-rib/articles/race-place-and-class-whos-speaking-for-who
Boyer, A. (1998). L’Islam en France. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Bryan, B., Dadsie, S., & Scafe, S. (1985). The heart of the race: Black women’s lives in Britain. London: Virago Press.
Buaras, E. A. (2014). 277 Muslim councillors elected. The Muslim News. Retrieved January 24, 2016, from http://muslimnews.co.uk/newspaper/home-news/277-muslim-councillors-elected/
Budgeon, S. (2011). Third wave feminism and the politics of gender in late modernity. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Camus, E. (2013). Voile intégral: une loi difficilement applicable. Le Monde, 2 April. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2013/08/02/voile-islamique-une-loi-difficilement-applicable_3455937_3224.html
Candappa, M., & Joly, D. (1994). Local authorities, ethnic minorities and ‘pluralist integration’ (Monographs in ethnic relations). Coventry: CRER, University of Warwick.
Cantle, T. (2001). Community cohesion: A report of the independent review team. London: Home Office.
Carby, H. (1997). White women listen! Black feminism and the boundaries of sisterhood. In H. S. Mirza (Ed.), Black British feminism: A reader (pp. 45–92). London and New York: Routledge.
Cesari, J. (1998). Musulmans et républicains. Les jeunes, l’Islam et la France. Bruxelles: Complexe.
Chirac, J. (2003). Discours relatif au respect du principe de laïcité dans la république. Commission Nationale du Débat public. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www2.cndp.fr/laicite/pdf/chirac.pdf
Claystone. (2014). The right to choose: Things you should know about the face-veil debate. London: Claystone. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://www.claystone.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ClaystoneReport_FaceVeil.pdf
CNCDH (Commission nationale consultative des droits de l’homme). (1993). La lutte contre le racisme et la xénophobie: exclusions et droits de l’homme. Paris: Documentation Française.
Cochrane, K. (2013). All the rebel women: The rise of the fourth wave of feminism. London: Guardian Books.
Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia. (1997). Islamophobia: A challenge for us all. London: Runnymede Trust.
Conseil d’État. (2008). Conseil d’État, 2ème et 7ème sous-sections réunies, 27/06/2008, 286798. Legifrance. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichJuriAdmin.do?idTexte=CETATEXT000019081211
Coote, A., & Campbell, B. (1987). Sweet freedom: The struggle for women’s liberation. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
CRAN (Conseil Représentatif des Associations Noires). (2012). Enquête exclusif du CRAN et Banlieue citoyenne sur les législatives et la diversité, 24 June 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2015, from http://www.le-cran.fr/document-cran-associations-noires-de-france/60-les-legislatives-et-la-diversite-enquete-exclusive-du-cran-et-banlieue-citoyenne.pdf
Cross, M., Johnson, M., & Cox, B. (1988). Black welfare and local government: Section 11 and social services departments. Coventry: CRER, University of Warwick.
DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government). (2010). Cohesion delivery framework 2010 overview. London: DCLG.
Denham, J. (2001). Building cohesive communities (Report of the Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion). London: Home Office.
Evans, E. (2015). The politics of third wave feminisms: Neoliberalism, intersectionality and the state in Britain. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Felouzis, G., Liot, F., & Perroton, J. (2005). L’apartheid scolaire–enquête sur la ségrégration ethnique dans les collèges. Paris: Éditions du Seuil.
Gaspard, F., & Khosrokhavar, F. (1995). Le foulard et la République. Paris: La Découverte.
Gelb, J. (1986). Feminism in Britain: Politics without the power? In D. Dahlerup (Ed.), The new women’s movement. London: Sage.
Gelb, J. (1989). Feminism and politics: A comparative perspective. Berkeley: University of California Press.
German, L. (2007). Material girls: Women, men and work. London: Bookmarks.
Gorce, B. (2013). François Hollande définit la laïcité comme “un principe et de liberté et de cohésion’. La Croix, 8 April. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.la-croix.com/Actualite/France/Francois-Hollande-definit-la-laicite-comme-un-principe-et-de-liberte-et-de-cohesion-2013-04-08-930279
Hall, S., Critcher, C., Jefferson, T., Clarke, J., & Roberts, B. (1978). Policing the crisis: Mugging, the state and law and order. London and Basingstoke: MacMillan Press Ltd.
Haut Conseil à l’Intégration. (2000). L’islam dans la République. Paris: La Documentation Française.
Haynes, J. (1998). Religion in global politics. London: Longman.
Heath, A., & Martin, J. (2013). Can religious affiliation explain “ethnic’ inequalities in the labour market? Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36(6), 1005–1027.
Janmohamed, S. (2013). Calling all feminists: Get over the veil debate, focus on real problems. Aljazeera, 25 September. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/09/calling-all-feminists-get-over-veil-debate-focus-real-problems-201392573343242621.html
Jepperson, R. L. (2002). Political modernities: Disentangling two underlying dimensions of institutional differentiation. Sociological Theory, 20(1), 61–83.
Joly, D. (1991). The French communist party and the Algerian war. Oxford: MacMillan.
Joly, D. (1995). Britannia’s crescent: Making a place for Muslims in British society. Aldershot: Avebury.
Joly, D. (2007). L’Émeute. Paris: Denoel.
Joly, D. (2012). Race, ethnicity and religion: Emerging policies in Britain. Patterns of Prejudice, 46(5), 467–485.
Joly, D., & Imtiaz, K. (2002). Muslims and citizenship in the United Kingdom. In R. Leveau, K. Mohsen-Finan, & C. W. de Wenden (Eds.), New European identity and citizenship (pp. 117–133). Aldershot: Avebury.
Joly, D., & Wadia, K. (2012). Dossier musulmanes et féministes en Grande-Bretagne. Hommes et Migrations, 1299, 4–96.
Josephides, S. (1992). Towards a history of the Indian Worker’s Association (Research Papers in Ethnic Relations). Coventry: CRER, University of Warwick.
Kapoor, N. (2013). The advancement of racial neoliberalism in Britain. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36(6), 1028–1046.
Keslassy, E. (2010). Quelle place pour les minorités visibles? Note Institut Montaigne. Retrieved January 24, 2016, from http://www.institutmontaigne.org/res/files/publications/regionales_minorites_visibles.pdf
Keslassy, E. (2012). 2 % de députés issus des minorités visibles: bien mais peut mieux faire! Le Nouvel Observateur, 19 June. Retrieved May 14, 2015, from http://leplus.nouvelobs.com/contribution/573797-2-de-deputes-issus-des-minorites-visibles-bien-mais-peut-mieux-faire.html
Khosrokhavar, F. (1996). L’universel abstrait, le politique et la construction de l’islamisme comme forme d’altérité. In M. Wieviorka (Ed.), Une société fragmentée? (pp. 113–151). Paris: La Découverte.
Knowles, C., & Mercer, S. (1992). Feminisms and antiracisms: An exploration of the political possibilities. In J. Donald & A. Rattansi (Eds.), ‘Race’, culture and difference (pp. 104–125). London: Sage.
Krolokke, C., & Sorensen, A. S. (2006). Gender communication theories and analyses: From silence to performance. London: Sage.
Kundnani, A. (2002). The death of multiculturalism. Race & Class, 43(4), 67–72.
Lapeyronnie, D. (1993). L’individu et les minorités: la France et la Grande-Bretagne face à leurs immigrés. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Lapping, B. (1970). The Labour government 1964–70. London: Penguin.
Layton-Henry, Z. (1984). The politics of immigration. Oxford: Blackwell.
Le Bars, S. (2013). La religion musulmane fait l’objet d’un profond rejet de la part des Français. Le Monde, 24 January. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2013/01/24/la-religion-musulmane-fait-l-objet-d-un-profond-rejet-de-la-part-des-francais_1821698_3224.html#XG6b6L0rVTy7sPvZ.99
Le Monde. (2005). Selon les RG, les émeutes en banlieue n’étaient pas le fait de bandes organisées. Le Monde, 7 December. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2005/12/07/selon-les-rg-les-emeutes-en-banlieue-n-etaient-pas-le-fait-de-bandes-organisees_718347_3224.html
Le Monde. (2009). Selon les services de la police nationale, 367 femmes portent la burqa en France. Le Monde, 29 July. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.lemonde.fr/a-la-une/article/2009/07/29/selon-les-services-de-la-police-nationale-367-femmes-portent-la-burqa-en-france_1223749_3208.html
Le Monde. (2015). Fillon réclame la fin du “tabou’ des statistiques ethniques. Le Monde, 20 September. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.lemonde.fr/immigration-et-diversite/article/2015/09/20/fillon-reclame-la-fin-du-tabou-des-statistiques-ethniques_4764167_1654200.html
Leveau, R. (2002). Islam in France. In S. T. Hunter (Ed.), Islam: Europe’s second religion (pp. 3–29). London: Praefer.
Long, J. (2012). Anti-porn: The resurgence of anti-pornography feminism. London: Zed Books.
Mackay, F. (2015). Radical feminism: Feminist activism in movement. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mas, M. (2003). Nicolas Sarkozy contre le foulard islamique. RFI, 21 April. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www1.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/040/article_21545.asp
MEND. (2010). Jack Straw apologises for his anti-niqab comments at ENGAGE hustings in Blackburn. MEND, 26 April. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://mend.org.uk/jack-straw-apologises-for-his-anti-niqab-comments-at-engage-hustings-in-blackburn/
Miles, R., & Phizacklea, A. (1984). White man’s country: Racism in British politics. London: Pluto Press.
Modood, T. (2007). Multiculturalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Naili, H. (2014). Muslims say French feminism shuts them out. We.News, 3 November. Retrieved February 2, 2016, from http://womensenews.tumblr.com/post/101676015786/muslims-say-french-feminism-shuts-them-out
Nielsen, J. (1992). Islams, Muslims and British local and central government, CSIC Papers Europe. Birmingham: Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations.
Parekh, B. (1990). The social logic of pluralism. London: Commission for Racial Equality.
Patterson, S. (1968). Immigrants in industry. London: Oxford University Press.
Pinto, D. (2004). La France et les quatre religions. Esprit, 302(2), 78–88.
Poli, A. (2005). L’expérience vécue du racisme et des discriminations raciales en France. De la condamnation morale à la prise en charge de la subjectivité des victimes, unpublished PhD thesis. Paris: École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.
Poulat, E. (1987). Liberté, laïcité, la guerre des deux Frances et le principe de la modernité. Paris: Cerf/Cujas.
Ramzanoglu, C. (1989). Feminism and the contradictions of oppression. London: Routledge.
Randall, V., & Lovenduski, J. (1993). Contemporary feminist politics: Women and power in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Rex, J. (1988). The Ghetto and the underclass: Essays on race and social policy. Aldershot: Avebury.
Rex, J., Joly, D., & Wilpert, C. (Eds.). (1987). Immigrant associations in Europe. Aldershot: Gower Press.
Rochefort, F. (2002). Foulard, genre et laïcité en 1989. Vingtième Siècle, 75, 145–156.
Roy, O. (Ed.). (2005). La laïcite face à l’Islam. Paris: Stock.
Runnymede Trust. (2000). The future of multi-ethnic Britain (Parekh Report). London: Profile Books.
Scott, J. (2007). The politics of the veil. Princeton, NJ and Oxford: Princeton University Press.
Sivanandan, A. (2006). Britain’s shame: From multiculturalism to nativism. IRR News, 22 May. Retrieved August 14, 2006, from www.Irr.Org.Uk/2006/May/Ha000024.Html
Smith, J. (2006). Murder is always wrong, and has nothing to do with faith. Independent, 7 November. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/joan-smith/joan-smith-murder-is-always-wrong-and-has-nothing-to-do-with-faith-2127305.html
Solomos, J. (1986). Riots, urban protest and social policy: The interplay of reform and social control (Research Paper in Ethnic Relations). Coventry: CRER, University of Warwick.
Son, T. L., & Riegert, A. (2015). Mixité sociale et scolaire et ségrégation inter- et intra-établissement dans les collèges et lycées français. Paris: Conseil National d’Evaluation du Système Scolaire. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.cafepedagogique.net/lexpresso/Documents/docsjoints/cnescosegreg.pdf
Stasi, B. (2003). Rapport de la commission de réflexion sur l’application du principe de laïcité dans la République. Paris: La Documentation Française.
Taylor, C. (1994). The politics of recognition. In A. Guttmann (Ed.), Multiculturalism and ‘the politics of recognition’: An essay (pp. 25–73). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
The Guardian. (2005a). Full text: The Prime Minister’ statement on anti-terror measures. The Guardian, 5 August. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/aug/05/uksecurity.terrorism1
The Guardian. (2005b). Why Muslims should vote for a Labour government. The Guardian, 19 April. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/apr/19/election2005.labour
Thomlinson, N. (2016). Race, ethnicity and the women’s movement in England: 1968–1993. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Van Reekum, R., Duyvendak, J. W., & Bertossi, C. (Eds.). (2012). National models of integration and the crisis of multiculturalism: A critical comparative perspective. Patterns of Prejudice, 46(5), 417–426.
Wadia, K., & Allwood, G. (2012). The crisis of multiculturalism in Britain. In M. Labelle, J. Couture, & F. Remiggi (Eds.), La communauté politique en question. Regards croisés sur l’immigration, la diversité et la citoyenneté (pp. 97–119). Québec City: Presses Universitaires du Québec.
Wieviorka, M. (2015). Retour au sens. Paris: Robert Laffont.
Willaime, J.-P. (2004). Europe et religions. Les enjeux du XXI e siècle. Paris: Fayard.
Wilson, A. (1975). Racism sexism. Spare Rib, 41, 8. Retrieved February 12, 2016, from https://data.journalarchives.jisc.ac.uk/britishlibrary/sparerib/view?pubId=P523_344_Issue41PDFP523_344_Issue41_0008_15pdf&terms=Amrit%20Wilson&brandedSearch
Winter, B. (2008). Hijab & the republic: Uncovering the French headscarf debate. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.
Wintour, P. (2011). David Cameron tells Muslim Britain: Stop tolerating extremists. The Guardian, 5 February. Retrieved August 25, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/feb/05/david-cameron-muslim-extremism
Yaqoob, S. (2005). Interviewed by Joly, D. 26 January.
Yaqoob, S. (2006). So much for the sisterhood. The Guardian, 13 October. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/oct/13/whathappenedtosisterhood1
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Joly, D., Wadia, K. (2017). Muslims and Women in Britain and France. In: Muslim Women and Power. Gender and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-48062-0_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-48062-0_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-48061-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-48062-0
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)