Muslims in Belgium
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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
Muslims in Belgium
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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?
Muslims in Belgium
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What do we know about Muslims in Belgium? Or rather how
do we know what we know?
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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
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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:
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Nationals of predominantly Muslims countries (182 792)
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Naturalised Belgians (273 000)
3.
Refugees
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Belgian born converts (10 000)
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Offspring of Muslim families (no data directly available)
Muslims in Belgium
4. Who are the Muslims in Belgium?
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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
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:
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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.
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)
Muslims in Belgium
Internal organisation
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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.
Muslims in Belgium
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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
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
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?