The French government's 2004 decision to ban Islamic headscarves and other religious signs from public schools puzzled many observers; both because it seemed to infringe needlessly on religious freedom; and because it was hailed by many in France as an answer to a surprisingly wide range of social ills; from violence against females in poor suburbs to anti-Semitism. Why the French Don't Like Headscarves explains why headscarves on schoolgirls caused such a furor; and why the furor yielded this law. Making sense of the dramatic debate from his perspective as an American anthropologist in France at the time; John Bowen writes about everyday life and public events while also presenting interviews with officials and intellectuals; and analyzing French television programs and other media. Bowen argues that the focus on headscarves came from a century-old sensitivity to the public presence of religion in schools; feared links between public expressions of Islamic identity and radical Islam; and a media-driven frenzy that built support for a headscarf ban during 2003-2004. Although the defense of laïcité (secularity) was cited as the law's major justification; politicians; intellectuals; and the media linked the scarves to more concrete social anxieties--about "communalism;" political Islam; and violence toward women. Written in engaging; jargon-free prose; Why the French Don't Like Headscarves is the first comprehensive and objective analysis of this subject; in any language; and it speaks to tensions between assimilation and diversity that extend well beyond France's borders.
#344435 in Books 2005-08-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .98 x 6.16 x 8.96l; 1.28 #File Name: 0691121869416 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great information; but...By Jerry LoseeIt often seemed repetitive and disorganized. If it were not for these minor shortcomings; it would deserve five stars. As stated; the information is terrific; especially for a lifelong Michigander such as myself. It reveals the underlying and fundamental issues that have plagued Detroit for nearly a century. Sugrue does so through the corporate; economic; societal; racial; organizational; religious; and governmental roles. All of his facts and statistics are cited extensively. In short; if you are interested in such topics; The Origins of Urban Crisis is for you!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great readBy Jared B SmithI really enjoyed this book. It opened my eyes to how little I know about some of the details of American history. The content of the book is especially relevant after the surprise Trump victory in the recent election. If you are interested understanding how American cities developed after world war 2; this is a must read!I only gave the book four stars because it feels scattered at times in the way it moved through history and across topics.As noted by other reviewers; sometimes the book is heavy on fact and light on a higher level organizations. A theme of the book is that the story is in the details. Yet the details are hard to make sense of without a little more overarching structure or narrative.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Must read for those interetsted in labor history; post war history; and race relations in the USBy Historian_ClayI dont agree with Sugrue's politics but i like his books.This is a fantastic read and it is well researched. It is a must read for those interested in civil rights; labor history; and post-war history.You dont have to agree with all of his politics but his conclusions for the most part are spot on.Fantastic read on labor migration.One of the good ones.
