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The Importance Of Assimilation And Human Rights

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When does the search for equality justify human rights abuses? As France has a large and quickly expanding Muslim immigrate population (Mamou, 2017) it provides an important case study regarding the intersection of two different perspectives, that of secularism and religion. In 2004 Law No. 2004-228 of 15 March 2004 (National Assembly, 2004) was adopted by the French National Assembly and Senate which forbade the wearing of overtly religious clothing which would identify individuals religious affiliation in public schools, colleges and lycees. In 2010 Law No. 2010-1192 of October 11, 2010, was passed which banned the wearing of any outfit, in a public space, designed to cover the face (National Assembly, 2010). Although neither the 2004 nor 2010 laws appear to be directly targeting Muslims they have gained recognition because as both have a direct impact on Muslim women. Both of these laws have been criticised since they appear to constitute human rights abuses. However, rather than looking at the laws in isolation one must understand their context in French society, specifically the broader human rights issues which they reflect such as gender equality, assimilation of immigrants, and the perceived threat of religious fundamentalism. All of these issues are related and they cannot be written about in isolation of the rest. As France fights to protect its culture of laïcité (secularism), care must be taken to not abuse human rights in the name of equality.
Assimilation vs.

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