Several EU member states are currently debating if religious symbols should be banned in the public offices, workplaces, universities, and schools. So far, member states differ in how they regulate wearing religious symbols, such as the headscarf, Turbans, etc.

Learning Objectives

  1. Compare the current laws and court decisions in France and Germany.
  2. Who is advocating for/against banning religious symbols from schools, workplace, public offices?
  3. What are the main arguments for and against these bans? How are these similar/different in France and Germany?
  4. What are the positions Islamic groups take in both countries?

Study Guide

    0. Read BBC's website on the headscarf debates in the European Union, and around the world.
    I. France:
  1. "Headscarf Ban Misses the Point" by Shada Islam.
  2. "French panel recommends ban of religious symbols" by Uwe Siemon-Netto in the Washington Times.
  3. University of North Carolina, Conference on the Veil with lectures, newspapers clippings.
    II. Germany
  4. Beverly Weber. “Cloth on her Head, Constitution in Hand: Germany’s Headscarf
    Debates and the Cultural Politics of Difference.” German Politics and Society
    22.3 (Fall 2004): 33 – 64.
  5. German Government information about headscarf.
  6. "Tolerating Intolerance; Germany debates the headscarf and finds it.un-German" by Stefan Theil.
  7. Debate about Multiculturalism in the Berliner Journal Spring 2006
  8. Germany: Muslim headscarf ban will apply to nuns.