Axe 3 seminar: Franck Frégosi, "Gouverner l'islam en France" (Governing Islam in France)
Details
Monday 31 March 2025 | 10h-12h | MMSH (salle PAF)
Franck Frégosidirector of research at the CNRS (GSRL), will be presenting his latest book Governing Islam in France (Éditions du Seuil, 2025).
Book summary:
The question of Islam's compatibility with the Republic has been the focus of many debates in France for decades. Yet it conceals a reality that is not being addressed: the Muslim faith is governed by the State.
Controlling the expression and dissemination of Islam has been the subject of public policy since colonial Algeria. In France, the gradual sedentarisation of Muslim populations resulting from immigration, followed by the rise of Islamism, have continually reinforced this policy.
At a time when the terrorist attacks of the 2010s have polarised debates on the subject, this book questions the effectiveness of such governance.
thanks to an unprecedented analysis of its rationale and players, both public and private, secular and religious. While the State imposes rules and constraints, it is also looking for Muslim partners who can relay them. Official religious auxiliaries, reputed to be loyal, and a discreet, 'modern' and 'republican' Islam are thus promoted.
However, this interpretation of the Muslim religion, legitimised by a few committed experts, leads to the disqualification of all its other expressions as "separatist", and to the denial of its independence, however eminently desirable, from
public authority.
Based on a formidable knowledge of the field, this essay poses an unexpected question: does religion in France remain a sacred affair of the State, despite its proclaimed secularism?
FRANCK FRÉGOSI is director of research at the CNRS (UMR Groupe Sociétés, Religions, Laïcités). A specialist in the organisation of Islam in France, he studies public policies on religion in the context of secularisation and teaches at Sciences Po Aix. His publications include Thinking about Islam in a secular context (Fayard, 2008).
Hybrid format: link available on this page ("Online event details" section below).
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