This paper analyzes the perception construction of the hijab use in public schools as an ontological threat to France. Considering laïcité as one of the pillars for French society and identity and the school as the basis of the construction of this narrative, the use of the hijab could be considered as a threat to religious neutrality in the public spheres, injuring the basic principles of the Republic. This situation led to the approval of a law banning the use of all kind of apparent religious garments in primary school across France, despite religious freedom being a fundamental right in the country. As a methodology, it conducts a discourse analysis of the statements and opinions of French leaders and institutions of the executive and judicial branches in relation to the use of clothing in relation to the principle of laïcité and freedom of worship in France between 1989 and 2004.
LIBERTÉ, EGALITÉ ET LAÏCITÉ: THE USE OF HIJAB IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A THREAT TO THE FRENCH REPUBLICAN ONTOLOGY (1989-2004)
Master’s student in International Security and Defense at the Brazilian War College (ESG, Brazil) specializing in BRICS’ common identity formation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) focusing on Eurasian geopolitical dynamics. He writes for an independent think tank Quo Vademus. He is an external collaborator to the Nucleus of Studies on BRICS (NEBRICS) and a fellow researcher in the Group of Studies on BRICS (GEBRICS).
Resumo
Este trabalho analisa a perceção do uso do hijab nas escolas públicas como uma ameaça ontológica à França. Considerando a laicidade um dos pilares da sociedade e identidade francesas, bem como da escola como base da construção desta narrativa, o uso do hijab é considerado uma ameaça à neutralidade religiosa na esfera pública, ferindo os princípios básicos da República. Isto conduziu à aprovação de uma lei que proíbe o uso de vestuário religioso aparente nas escolas primárias de França, apesar de a liberdade religiosa ser um direito fundamental no país. Como metodologia do estudo, analisam-se as declarações e opiniões de dirigentes dos poderes executivo e judicial relativamente ao uso do vestuário e ao princípio da laicidade, e da liberdade de culto em França entre 1989 e 2004.
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Como citar este artigo
Pedrosa, Bruno (2022). Liberté, Egalité et Laïcité: the use of hijab in public schools as a threat to the french republican ontology (1989-2004). In Janus.net, e-journal of international relations. Vol13, Nº. 1, May-October 2022. Consulted [online] on the date of the last visit, https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.13.1.4
Article received on 23 September, 2021 and accepted for publication on 16 March, 2022
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