How has Europe responded to the recent influx of Muslim immigrants? What did the November 2009 ban on minarets in Switzerland signify about European identity and acceptance?
These and other issues were explored during Thursday’s panel discussion “Islam, Immigration, and Identity in Europe,” held in Stahr auditorium.
Panelists included Professors Maria Mitchell and Robert Riggs of history, Professor Sylvia Alajaji of music, and the Reverend Susan Minasian, the College Chaplain.
The event began with preliminary discussion of the topic. A Swiss referendum on banning minarets on mosques demonstrates tensions of immigration to Europe from the Islamic world, the panel noted.
The first panelist to speak was Mitchell, who gave historical background to the Swiss ban on minarets. Mitchell explained that there are half a million Muslims in Switzerland, with 90 percent from Kosovo and Turkey. Because there had been a terrorist or violent attack in Switzerland, the question arose, “Why did the Swiss feel compelled to order this referendum?”
Mitchell then placed the event in Switzerland in the broader European context.
“This Swiss are grappling with issues at stake across the continent,” she said.
“For Europeans who aren’t well educated, they read headlines and link Muslims to terrorism,” Mitchell added.
The next panelist to speak was Riggs; he focused on the European justification of upholding national values to validate poor treatment of Muslims.
“[These national values are] arbitrary, not intrinsic to identity,” he noted. “The sense of national anxiety is perpetuated by the government.”
Understandably, it is unlikely for an entire country to share the same values, although some European governments try to use values to exclude the recent immigrants.
“The underlying controversy is anxiety over identity,” Riggs added.
Alajaji followed with an interesting approach to the issues. Her emphasis was on the symbolism that has created a battle over the public sphere.
“A ‘counterpublic’ has been produced through symbols,” Alajaji said. She discussed the ban on a call to prayer, which had a huge impact on the public space.
The last panelist was Minasian, who first revealed a personal anecdote from her travels to Turkey in 1988, when she was in a dome and realized that Armenian letters and shapes were under the crackling paint. At that moment, she had empathy for any group who experienced an alteration or prohibition of something they deem sacred.
In response to the intolerance towards Muslims in Europe, Minasian called for religion to be put aside and for a sense of spirituality and human rights. In her mind, the fear toward Muslims is a lack of understanding.
This panel discussion was thought provoking and relevant. Since the panelists spoke from a range of perspectives, the subject matter was covered in depth. How Muslims are embraced into a European national identity, or retain their own distinct identity, remains to be seen.
For more information about this panel discussion, contact Candace G. Roper candace.roper@fandm.edu.
Senior Anna Lippe is a contributing writer. Her e-mail is anna.lippe@fandm.edu.
