French "communautarisme": a comparative study on policies related to Muslims and Jews

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20553
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Keio University (2023); Kinjo Gakuin University (2019-2022)
• Principal Investigator: OSHIMA Eriko 慶應義塾大学, 経済学部(日吉), 准教授 (90756066)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 移民 / 植民地 / 多文化 / イスラーム / ユダヤ人 / フランス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study elucidates the meaning of the widely used concept of "communautarisme" in France, as well as the intentions and contexts in which it is employed."Communautarisme" refers to a critical notion that points to real or imagined phenomena where ethnic groups, based on cultural practices such as region of origin or religion, behave in a closed manner and claim special rights without accepting the principles of the Republic, such as equality and secularism. In other words, it is a concept used by the majority to criticize minorities, and it has strong political connotations. To analyze the use of this concept, the study compares discourses about Muslims, who have often been criticized for embodying "communautarisme," with discourses about Jews, who share unique cultural practices but are not criticized as communautarist. This comparison highlights the differences in the use of the concept of "communautarisme" between these two communities.

Free Research Field

政治学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究はフランス社会のよりよい理解に資する一方で、日本社会にとっても2点において重要性および緊急性が高い。まず、日本社会には多くの移民やその子孫が住んでおり、多様な文化を持った者が共生する道を今後さらに考えていく必要がある。そのためには、異なる文化が国内に入ってくることによって起きうる変化や、あるべき多文化共生を模索する上で、他国の事例は参考になるであろう。総在留外国人は300万人近くおり（2016年12月時点の法務省による在留外国人統計）、こうした課題には高い緊急性がある。とりわけ移民をめぐる議論が活発であり、日本と同じように旧植民地から移民を多く受け入れているフランスの事例は参考になる。