Muslims in the Netherlands: Social and Political Developments after 9/11

Abstract

The position of Muslims in the Netherlands and government policies regarding Muslims have been influenced not only by the attacks of 9/11, but even more by the murder of the film-maker Theo van Gogh on 2 November 2004. The brutal murder activated serious political problems and perceptions that were already present; it caused authorities to panic, it was the starting point of a series of arson attacks and threats, and many Muslims experienced a feeling of exclusion. The background to these developments can partly be traced back to the socio-economic, cultural and political positions of Muslims in the Netherlands and to the perceptions that Muslims cherish regarding religion and the West. The prevailing perceptions are subject to political struggle between Muslim democrats and Muslim radicals. The development of this struggle calls for a new understanding of the attraction exerted by radicalism and extremism on a small number of Muslim youngsters in Western Europe. This radicalism shows a complicated relation with the religious orthodoxy that is usually called ‘Salafism’. A closer study reveals that Salafism manifests itself in three movements, intensively competing for domination and the recruitment of Muslim youngsters. The two non-violent varieties of Salafism claim to build a threshold against radicalism, whereas others depict it as a stepping-stone towards radicalisation. These perceptions influence policies against terrorism and especially against the spread of radicalism.