In the context of the debate on French national identity in Charmes (Vosges), Nadine Morano, French secretary of State in charge of the family and of solidarity, declared to young French Muslims that they no longer use “verlan” slang when they speak. Verlan is a popular suburban phenomenon of speaking, changing the order of words…
A French debate on defining the values constituting national identity is sparking controversy amid warnings that the discussions are particularly targeting the Muslim presence. France is home to nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in Europe. In early November, the French government started a three-month debate on French national identity. Some claim that…
Most Muslim students in Britain are more likely to join Amnesty International than Al-Qaida, according to a study published yesterday. British universities are not hotbeds of radicalism in spite of fears about the rise of campus extremism, according to the report by Cambridge University. Earlier this year, the Government issued guidelines for university staff on…
THE HAGUE – One was a Somali refugee, the other an Argentine investment banker. Both are now high-profile Dutch women challenging this country to rethink its national identity. Princess Maxima, the Argentine-born wife of Crown Prince Willem Alexander, triggered a round of national soul-searching with a speech last month about what exactly it means to…
’Representing Islam: Comparative Perspectives’ is an international conference organised jointly by the Universities of Manchester and Surrey and supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of Britain. It has attracted over 100 eminent national and international speakers. Representations of ’Islam’ have a profound influence on political cultures and national identities, as well as on…
