Hijab’s Identity and Islamophobic Sentiment in the French Society

Abstract

This research aimed to explore Islamophobia in France in relation to hijab as a symbol of Islamic identity during 2004-2015 and to study the main factors that impact on the Islamophobic sentiment in France for one decade ago.

According to the studies of the aforementioned notions, there were 3 manners in which the fear towards Islam was manifested:

1. Verbal and physical abuses against Muslim women who wear headscarves (hijabs), including French women of Muslim descent in hijabs;

2. Discrimination against Muslim women who wear head-scarves, including French women of Muslim descent in hijabs, in professional recruitment, along with obstructions from participating social activities;

3. Obstructions in academic spheres experienced by Muslim female students, as well as French female students of Muslim descent, who wear headscarves as the practice is deemed to be against the principles of secularism in France.

As for the main factors that impacted on the Islamophobic sentiment in France, according to this research, the Islamophobic sentiment in France had intensified as a result of 2 incidents of violence: the attack and shooting of the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015, followed by the tragedy of the Paris Attack on the evening of 13^th November of the same year. Both events stirred up the hatred and fear towards Islam spread through every region in France, wearing hijab which one of the most apparent symbols of Islamic identity was directly affected.