Teacher Attitudes toward Muslim Student Integration into Civil Society: A Report from Six European Countries

Abstract

The convergence of Islam and national and cultural identity in Europe, exacerbated by external events like a murder, assassination, riot, embassy bombing or even a satirical cartoon, has the potential for disrupting civic order and eroding movements towards cultural assimilation and national integration. Clearly, fundamentalism in any religion, Jewish, Christian, Sikh or Muslim, can turn a few radicals into fanatics who seek the death of those whom they believe are infidels. Revealing the sources of cultural dissonance between Islamic faith and national identity can have a profound influence on how societies prepare for Muslim immigrant problems throughout Europe and even America. This social science inquiry involving six European countries (Denmark, Norway, Belarus, Austria, Finland and Belgium) provides a modicum of evidence for the depth and level of educator attitudes regarding the Muslim student population beliefs about integration into civil society and about violence.