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Muslims in Belgium

Muslims in Belgium. Muslims are central to the debate on « integration ». A quick media analysis would show that the question of Islam is an element of intergroup tensions in many countries of the West. Belgium is no exception.

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Muslims in Belgium

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  1. Muslims in Belgium • Muslims are central to the debate on « integration ». A quick media analysis would show that the question of Islam is an element of intergroup tensions in many countries of the West. Belgium is no exception. • Objective of the presentation: describe the Muslim community in Belgium by addressing seven questions 7 • Overview which spans different questions. • No big theoretical ambition but one point of departure: we do believe that we can only analyse Islam through the practice of Muslims and not the converse. Ref: Clifford Geertz 1971 – Anti-essentialism. • Full report available at: http://www.eumap.org/topics/minority/reports/eumuslims/background_reports

  2. Muslims in Belgium • What do we know about Muslims in Belgium? • How do we know what we know? • How many Muslims are there in Belgium? • Who are the Muslims in Belgium? • How are they socially integrated? • How are they internally organised? • What are their relations with the Belgian State?

  3. Muslims in Belgium • What do we know about Muslims in Belgium? Or rather how do we know what we know? • Two strands of literature: Specific on Muslims or not (Not specific literature is a good proxy for Moroccans and Turks but not for others). • Qualitative monographs. Little quantitative research. • Works of Dassetto & Bastenier >> « Transplanted Islam » • Insufficient body of empirical material • Until recently insufficient interest from funding authorities • No colonial contact with the Muslim world

  4. Muslims in Belgium 3. How many Muslims in Belgium? • The debate on Numbers • Extrapolation • Two large groups: Moroccans and Turks = 2/3 Muslims • 5 categories: • Nationals of predominantly Muslims countries (182 792) • Naturalised Belgians (273 000) • Refugees • Belgian born converts (10 000) • Offspring of Muslim families (no data directly available)

  5. Muslims in Belgium 4. Who are the Muslims in Belgium? • Diversity of profiles • Immigrants, refugees, Belgian born children of immigrants, Belgian born converts • Recall the sources of Muslim immigration • Demography: 42% Turks less than 24 and 30% Moroccans. >> very consequential

  6. Muslims in Belgium 5. How are they socially integrated? • Not very well but internal variations ! • Settlement patterns and housing (complexify contact with Belgians) • Educational level: • underachievement 40% Moroccan and Turks have only primary education. Less than 10% have post-secondary education. • Employment level (38% versus 7% Belgians) • The question of discrimination (employment, housing, education) and islamophobia.

  7. Muslims in Belgium 6. How are they internally organised? • Discourse about religious revival among Muslims (reislamisation) but ethnicity and generational differences remain key structuring forces • A discourse on Belgian citizenship of Muslims is emerging but still weakly institutionalised • Main differences are between the two large immigrant groups • Institutional completeness is significant (300 mosques in the country and several thousands voluntary associations)

  8. Muslims in Belgium Internal organisation • Historical evolution from invisibility to public visibility after 1989 • 1999-2001: Development of Multicultural policies. Window of opportunities for institutionalisation • 2001: Increased tension • Radicalism and political violence have been observed from Belgian Muslims. • Currect debate and Muslim’s political demands stand in reaction to securitarisation of the Muslim presence, to the revival of secular radicalism and difficult relation with the State.

  9. Muslims in Belgium • What is their level of political integration? • Paradox? • High level of descriptive representation • Brussels exception is a Moroccan exception (94) (147/ 650 = 22%) • Caution: not necessarily profiled as Muslims • Electoral success does not translate necessarily into political success on issues of concern for Muslims. • Infra-political action and religious parties

  10. Muslims in Belgium 7. What are their relations with the Belgian State? • Peculiar system • Not secularism French style nor established religion • Restricted Pluralism • 6 faith receive material advantages • Three EMB periods 1974-1989, 1989-1999, 1999-2008 • Resolved issues: education of Islamic classes, religious assistance to prisonners and people at hospitals • Unresolved issues: funding of mosques and imams

  11. Muslims in Belgium Main conclusion 1. Transformation from « Transplanted immigrant communities » into « home-grown and settled communities ». The notion of cultural distance is no longer valid for addressing the issue. 2. Increasing public visibility parallels increasing social vulnerability 3. Temporary stalemate in the institutionalisation?

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