Politics
EUROPEAN MUSLIMS TOLD TO BE PART OF FUTURE OR TO STAY A THREAT
BETWEEN CONDESCENDING & PATRONIZING WAY
(Source: © Ruby BIRD & Yasmina BEDDOU)
(Source: © Ruby BIRD & Yasmina BEDDOU)
In all European nations there are small minorities, but they will rise sharply even without immigration because Muslim populations, like all immigrant groups, are much younger than average. This is not a solely islamic phenomenon. What's more, sharp cuts in immigration will probably not happen. Europe's native population is ageing and declining. Some wonder what the continent will look like if demographic drivers remain as they are. Some claim that Muslims will increasingly integrate and leave Europe's culture largely unchanged. Here intermarriage is arguably the best barometer of assimilation.
An alternative route to integration is secularism, but at what costs ? Let's notice that the most notable is the rapid decline in the Muslim birth rate. This is partly to plummering fertility rate in immigrant source countries and partly because of assimilation to host society norms. So, what does the future holds ?
Some projections for many West European countries find that Muslims will make up between 4 and 14% of the population by 2030.
Some projections for many West European countries find that Muslims will make up between 4 and 14% of the population by 2030.
The thing is that we are given some figures, within the perspective of fast growing anti-muslims sentiment helped by domestic and foreign policies regarding this specific religion. We easily tend to forget that the Muslim fertility is falling (notably Turks and North Africans) and, secondly, non-muslim immigrant groups are growing fast, making Europe more plural and less islamic.
Even if higher Muslim fertility rates do not persist, Islam will make a significant imprint on European life. It seems that the bigger worry by the second half of the 21 century will be what is already considered as a "culture war" between fundamentalists of all faiths and those who back the secular status quo. Theological differences within faiths come to matter more than the ethnic differences between them.
Ruby Bird Europe Muslim Future Threat Condescending Patronizing Way Population Demography Destiny Nations Minorities Immigrant Phenomenon Culture Intermarriage Barometer Assimilation Fertility Society Turks North Africans
Liability for this article lies with the author, who also holds the copyright. Editorial content from USPA may be quoted on other websites as long as the quote comprises no more than 5% of the entire text, is marked as such and the source is named (via hyperlink).
