Event Highlights: “Europe, Religion, Integration” a Lecture by Olivier Roy
On Friday, February 3rd, the Center for the Study of Europe hosted a lecture led by Olivier Roy, a Professor of Social and Political Theory at the European University Institute, a Senior Researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, and a professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales.
The discussion was centered around the intricacies of religious integration in Europe, and Olivier Roy began by dissecting the rising Islamophobia across Europe in recent years. He connected the disturbing trend to the contemporary surge of secularization in the EU, arguing that there is a direct correlation between the rising security concerns and Islamophobia in Europe. Roy analyzed the current movement away from Christianization in Europe, and how “the left” resents Muslims bringing religion back to the forefront of dialogue in Europe. Overall, while liberals believe in integration, issues have arisen when individuals seeking to integrate into local European communities have strong connections to their traditional religious customs and practices. For conservatives, Roy cited how the feeling of opposition arises from the perceived threat of another religion gaining influence in regions where the presence of Christianity is diminishing. Roy stated that the underlying issues of these fears is Europeans figuring out what the future will emerge when a singular religion is no longer a major part of the local culture.
As a whole, Roy explained that Europe is becoming increasingly secular; even countries such as Ireland and Spain are becoming significantly less dependent and focused on religion. The trend toward secularization has its origins in the 1960s, when absolute freedom became a major part of social movements. Today, however, there are no longer truly traditionalist Christian leaders in Europe. Roy noted the more secularized a society, the more visible religion becomes in everyday life. Therefore, he argued that the surge of Muslims into European countries has caused some to feel threatened by an increasing foreign cultural presence. European societies must learn how to integrate immigrants within a secular society, as Christian majority must accept the growing presence of a Muslim minority in the local population. Roy explained how communities must work to fight stereotypes and prejudice, as multiple faiths need to work together to reconcile and construct an environment in which varying cultures can coexist peacefully. Concluding with statement about the rise of secularization over religion, Roy emphasized how Muslim immigrants need to navigate the process of settling into communities in which traditional Christian values are still strongly present. He argued that smooth integration can only occur when a balance is found between their own cultural values and the absolute freedoms encouraged by secularization.
You can listen to the entire conversation here