Secularism and Multicultural Citizenship

Professor Tariq Modood is a Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, UK. He has done extensive research on Islamophobia and Multiculturalism. In May 2019, SRP invited Prof Modood to Singapore and MUIS Academy hosted him for a closed-door discussion entitled “Human Dignity, Islamophobia and the Struggle for Recognition.” Below is an executive summary of some of his key ideas.

Current dilemma: Prof Modood states that the present state of fear, polarisation and strengthened intolerant and exclusive nationalism in the West, is the result of: (1) high migration rates into Europe; (2) Geopolitical tensions between US and UK and the Muslim countries; and (3) increasing Muslim visibility and political assertiveness, their support for Muslim causes, terror activities and counter-terrorism focused on Muslim communities. The total sum of these challenges has created ideological extremism that has brought the relevance of the policy of multiculturalism into question.

Civic idea of multiculturalism: Prof Modood attempts to reclaim multiculturalism from its seeming “crisis.” His main objective is to halt the regressive spiral into exclusive nationalism and to propose a progressive and civic approach to foster social cohesion. His proposal has 3 pillars: (1) accommodating minorities and difference within an equal citizenship; (2) multiculturalising the existing moderate secularism (3) fostering a strong sense of plural national identity.

Construction of identities: People’s sense of identities, which are fluid, transcend biology and are in fact informed through the negotiation of many factors, such as upbringing, community relations, mindsets, religious worldviews, socio-economic status and how others perceive and behave towards them.

Minorities: Minorities’ identities have two aspects: their sense of themselves and how they are perceived or treated by others – identities from the inside out, and from the outside in. These two aspects interact, shaping each other. The goal of multicultural equality is to recognise, accommodate and empower the identities that matter to minorities and to oppose the stereotyping, ‘othering’ and racialisation of identities from the outside.

Cultural racism: Multicultural societies are rife with plural forms of racism, such as colour and cultural racism. The most significant manifestation of cultural racism is anti-Muslim racism (Islamophobia). Prof Modood defines Islamophobia as “the racialising of Muslims based on physical appearance or descent as members of a community and attributing to them cultural or religious characteristics to vilify, marginalise, discriminate or demand assimilation and thereby treat them as second class citizens.”

Accommodate minorities: The best way to minimise or eliminate racism is through cultivating a multinational identity that respects the equal status of all citizens with all their differences. Efforts to build connections between ethno-religious groups and to advance the common good is what multicultural citizenship facilitates and needs. Moderate members of every group need to express their legitimate grievances through civic and institutional platforms. At the same time, they need to challenge extremism such as Islamic terrorism or Islamophobia. Such extremism is not respectful of other participative citizens who aspire to contribute to strengthening social cohesion.

Role of the state (I): For the state to build such a rich national identity, the political and the religious leadership of a country needs to work together. Prof Modood states that they are both partners in advancing the public good and they should be each mutually autonomous but never completely separate. The relationship between the two modes of authorities determines the shade of secularism that is practiced in a nation-state - thus he argues, there are multiple secularisms. He distinguishes between the radical and moderate secularisms. Instead of a total separation between the political and religious leadership, as is the case in France, he advocates for more moderate variants, as is the case of Germany, where religious authority is given state funds to provide social welfare services.

Role of the state (II): Partnering with diverse ethno-religious groups is first step, secondly, states need to go beyond claims of neutrality to all ethno-religious groups because policies are structured around certain understandings and practices which prioritize some cultural values and behaviours over others. Thus, for Prof Modood, a state has responsibility to multiculturalise its policies. Instead of neutrality, they ought to actively accommodate ethno-religious differences, reject ethnic essentialism, discourage hostility from brewing amongst people, encourage a vision of commonalities for a shared space, encourage social interaction, nurture participative and fulfilled ethnoreligious identities and agencies, and remake an inclusive national identity.

Equality: Such a multicultural state would design policies based on a framework of commonality, rights and equal respect. This is an equality that comes from a set of rules or norms that do not (dis)advantage the different ethno-religious groups, for the needs and sensitives of everyone have been taken into account.

Way forward: A multicultural national identity should be woven through civic debate and discussion and manifested in shared values and a public culture that are able to settle controversies, resolve conflicts and overcome fear with mutual understanding and respect. If diverse citizens are to have a sense of belonging to and a sharing of a common fate with other citizens, they must be able to feel their own flourishing as individuals and as communities is linked to the flourishing of the whole of society.

Secularism and Multicultural Citizenship