Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies

by Claire L. Adida, David D. Laitin, Marie-Anne Valfort

Overview

Amid mounting fears of violent Islamic extremism, many Europeans ask whether Muslim immigrants can integrate into historically Christian countries. In a groundbreaking ethnographic investigation of France’s Muslim migrant population, Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies explores this complex question. The authors conclude that both Muslim and non-Muslim French must share responsibility for the slow progress of Muslim integration.

“Using a variety of resources, research methods, and an innovative experimental design, the authors contend that while there is no doubt that prejudice and discrimination against Muslims exist, it is also true that some Muslim actions and cultural traits may, at times, complicate their full integration into their chosen domiciles. This book is timely (more so in the context of the current Syrian refugee crisis), its insights keen and astute, the empirical evidence meticulous and persuasive, and the policy recommendations reasonable and relevant.”
—A. Ahmad, Choice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674979697
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	09/18/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Claire L. Adida is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego.

David D. Laitin is the James T. Watkins IV and Elise V. Watkins Professor of Political Science at Stanford University.

Marie-Anne Valfort is Associate Professor of Economics at the Paris School of Economics and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables ix

Preface xi

Part I Introduction 1

1 The Challenge of Muslim Migrants into Christian-Heritage Societies 3

2 Anti-Muslim Discrimination in the French Labor Market and Its Consequences 15

Part II Research Strategy 29

3 Solving the Problem of Causal Identification 31

4 Procuring a Sample 41

5 Research Protocols 54

Part III Why Is There Religious Discrimination in France? 77

6 Muslim Characteristics That Feed Rational Islamophobia 79

7 Evidence of Nonrational Islamophobia 93

8 A Discriminatory Equilibrium 108

Part IV Looking Beyond, Looking Ahead 125

9 Beyond France: Muslim Immigrants in Western Europe and in the United States 127

10 What Is to Be Done? 148

Appendix 185

Notes 217

Glossary 233

References 237

Index 255

Editorial Reviews

The authors of this compelling, innovative, policy-relevant study move the debate about ‘who hates whom’ out of the realm of opinion and conjecture. Do Muslims, or people presumed to be Muslim, face significant discrimination in historically Christian societies, simply because they are believed to be Muslim? Everyone has an opinion on this question, whose importance is demonstrated by newspaper headlines on an almost daily basis. Using a full palette of social science methods—interviews, survey data, experimental games—Claire Adida and her colleagues make a persuasive case that anti-Muslim discrimination is a significant social phenomenon, not just in France (the focus of their research), but across historically Christian societies, including the United States. The problem, they warn, will not solve itself, and they conclude by offering a comprehensive set of policy recommendations. Their book deserves the attention of citizens, scholars, and policy-makers.

Anne Sa’adah

This top-level work by three top-level social scientists shows that there is discrimination against Muslims on grounds of their religion, but also that Muslims are to be partially blamed for hostility against them. Spiked with the provocative message that multiculturalism does not improve the situation, this is a milestone in the debate over failing Muslim integration in Western societies.

Christian Joppke

Using a variety of resources, research methods, and an innovative experimental design, the authors contend that while there is no doubt that prejudice and discrimination against Muslims exist, it is also true that some Muslim actions and cultural traits may, at times, complicate their full integration into their chosen domiciles. This book is timely (more so in the context of the current Syrian refugee crisis), its insights keen and astute, the empirical evidence meticulous and persuasive, and the policy recommendations reasonable and relevant.

Choice - A. Ahmad

The authors of this compelling, innovative, policy-relevant study move the debate about 'who hates whom' out of the realm of opinion and conjecture. Do Muslims, or people presumed to be Muslim, face significant discrimination in historically Christian societies, simply because they are believed to be Muslim? Everyone has an opinion on this question, whose importance is demonstrated by newspaper headlines on an almost daily basis. Using a full palette of social science methods--interviews, survey data, experimental games--Claire Adida and her colleagues make a persuasive case that anti-Muslim discrimination is a significant social phenomenon, not just in France (the focus of their research), but across historically Christian societies, including the United States. The problem, they warn, will not solve itself, and they conclude by offering a comprehensive set of policy recommendations. Their book deserves the attention of citizens, scholars, and policy-makers.--Anne Sa'adah, Dartmouth College

Using a variety of resources, research methods, and an innovative experimental design, the authors contend that while there is no doubt that prejudice and discrimination against Muslims exist, it is also true that some Muslim actions and cultural traits may, at times, complicate their full integration into their chosen domiciles. This book is timely (more so in the context of the current Syrian refugee crisis), its insights keen and astute, the empirical evidence meticulous and persuasive, and the policy recommendations reasonable and relevant.--A. Ahmad "Choice" (7/1/2016 12:00:00 AM)

This top-level work by three top-level social scientists shows that there is discrimination against Muslims on grounds of their religion, but also that Muslims are to be partially blamed for hostility against them. Spiked with the provocative message that multiculturalism does not improve the situation, this is a milestone in the debate over failing Muslim integration in Western societies.--Christian Joppke, University of Bern

From the Publisher

The authors of this compelling, innovative, policy-relevant study move the debate about ‘who hates whom’ out of the realm of opinion and conjecture. Do Muslims, or people presumed to be Muslim, face significant discrimination in historically Christian societies, simply because they are believed to be Muslim? Everyone has an opinion on this question, whose importance is demonstrated by newspaper headlines on an almost daily basis. Using a full palette of social science methods—interviews, survey data, experimental games—Claire Adida and her colleagues make a persuasive case that anti-Muslim discrimination is a significant social phenomenon, not just in France (the focus of their research), but across historically Christian societies, including the United States. The problem, they warn, will not solve itself, and they conclude by offering a comprehensive set of policy recommendations. Their book deserves the attention of citizens, scholars, and policy-makers.

Anne Sa’adah