Publication

This report discusses the efforts of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain to integrate their Muslim populations into wider society. The authors argue that while differing approaches have been adopted, none were completely successful. Britain embraced 'multiculturalism' but has faced criticism for placing too much emphasis on promoting diversity at the expense of building a common society. France has encouraged assimilation, but many French Muslims live in impoverished, almost exclusively Muslim neighborhoods. Germany and Spain made few efforts to integrate their Muslim minorities, and in some cases, parallel societies developed. The importance of integration policies is underlined by the growing awareness that social deprivation, discrimination, and a sense of cultural alienation make some European Muslims more vulnerable to extremist ideologies.