The French concept of laïcité is a strict form of hyper-secularism which is designed to keep religion completely out of public life. This principle has been more or less entrenched within French culture from around 1905 to the present. Historically, it is generally agreed that it was adopted to quell the influence of the Roman Catholic Church over a century ago. However, today the religious lines are beginning to become blurred in regards to this concept. I believe that laïcité remains, but that its focus has shifted almost exclusively to Muslim identity in France, pure and simple.

DEFINE: Laïcité is defined as a strict hyper-secularism keeping religion out of French public life since 1905. QUESTION: The blurred religious lines and claimed focus shift away from Catholicism toward Muslim identity invites investigation into current French secularism policy.

XREF: Connects to debates on secularism in other Western democracies, particularly where state neutrality intersects with religious minorities.

Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Gl…, loc. 496