The Islamic Headscarf: A threat to Secularity, Modernity, and Integration

No other piece of cloth has ever caused this much debate as the headscarf. This paper examines the headscarf debate in three European countries i.e., France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Firstly, the headscarf affair depicts different state policies developed and implemented by three countries, to integrate the Muslim immigrants. Secondly, an analysis of different approaches used by these countries regarding the headscarf issue highlights the place of Muslims and Islam in the European countries. Lastly, this paper contends that the headscarf controversy in France, Germany and the United Kingdom revolves around the issues of secularity vs. Islamic fundamentalism, gender equality vs. religious rights, modernity vs. backwardness and integration vs. assimilation. In this paper, we argue that contrary to the common perception that Muslims are intolerant, backward, and theocratic; the act of banning the headscarf by some of the European countries, in fact, proved these countries to be intolerant and authoritarian towards Muslims.