Date of Award
Spring 5-18-2024
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Advisor(s)
Kari Evanson, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Christopher Toulouse, Ph.D.
Abstract
This paper explores the developing definition and approach to secularism, referred to in France more strictly as laïcité, and its disproportionate impact upon French Muslims, in particular, Muslim women. The French roots of anticlericalism and resulting Revolution provide necessary context as to why the French are so apprehensive about religion, which led to the establishment of a secular state in 1905. Exploring relevant literature on the topic of French secularism, with a particular focus on the development of the headscarf debate in France from 1905 to 2023, context is provided regarding why the French care so deeply about the wearing of religiously affiliated clothing in public spaces. Analyzing the 2023 abaya ban exemplifies how the history of Islamophobia in France has manifested today, and discusses how Muslim women in France are affected in by legislation that specifically targets them, from clothing laws to bans on the administering of ‘virginity tests.’ Finally, concluding with a perspective of the debate through the lens of anthropologist Gregory Bateson’s concept of schismogenesis.
Recommended Citation
McArdle, Jake T., "From Revolution to Laïcité: How Anticlericalism Has Defined Modern France for Muslim Women" (2024). Senior Theses. 155.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/international_senior/155
