Muslims in Europe A Shared Citizenship Transcending the Imposition of Cultural Homogeneity
Abstract
[Though voices in Europe have begun to resonate with the narrative of a European/Western Islam or Euro-Islam, for many people Islam is still a foreign religion and a religion of immigrants. It is this dilemma that Europe will need to address by acknowledging its Muslim population as European citizens as well. Embarking upon a path where citizenship is increasingly seen to be viewed from a cultural perspective inevitably leads to a debate about shared values and identities. This, rather than creating a mediating space instead engenders the overall dichotomous and myopic paradigm of opposites and incompatibilities, an ‘Us versus Them mentality’. The cultural aspect of citizenship manifested in recently emerging policy shifts and legislation, though propagated as efforts to “integrate” Muslim minorities into European secular orders is in danger of being counter-productive, creating further alienation and resentment. Thus what is desired is a distinction between political and cultural approaches to citizenship whereby citizenship is addressed in terms of political and civil rights. The premise being that a sincere desire to engender peaceful coexistence, with European identity being envisioned as a shared identity requires a democratic citizenship which in essence is a shared citizenship, characterized by diversity and pluralism, and not one insisting on cultural or civilizational homogeneity. This naturally entails formulation of policy guidelines that foster mutual trust and respect as well as addressing the socio-economic, political and civic dimensions of citizenship. – Author. ]
