Integration and Laïcité : Muslims in France

Integration is not and has never been a topic easy to study, and adding laïcité – French-specific secularization – does not make it easier. This thesis looks at the case of French Muslims and the way they are viewed by the French as they settle for generations in France. France lacks a unified identity which makes it uncomfortable for them to integrate newcomers. Further, laïcité is a core value of French identity and this makes it difficult for the French to integrate Muslims and leads to a general fear of Muslims. Finally, I argue that some signs and theories today point to a future of laïcité which would reject not just religion but all culture from the public sphere.