From "problematic" foreigners to "unproblematic" Muslims: Bosnians in the Swiss Islam-discourse

Abstract

This article discusses the role of religion amongst the Bosnian Diaspora in Switzerland. In order to analyse this issue, it makes a distinction between the Bosnian working migrants who have lived in Switzerland since the 1970s and the Bosnian war refugees who found asylum in Switzerland from the mid-1990s onward. Despite the distinction, the issue of 'Refugees and religion' and the issue of 'Migration and religion' will overlap. The main argument of this contribution lays stress on the changing role in the meaning of religious orientation within a group of migrants. Taking the example of the Bosnian Diaspora in Switzerland, this contribution demonstrates that refugees and migrants are not simply transferring their religion as a fi xed recipe for the solution of daily problems in their changed circumstances. Very often different discourses, internal and external, and new constructs infl uence and contribute to give religion a new meaning. While emphasis on practice of religious and ritual conventions give migrants a cultural and religious continuity, new interpretations of religious norms and directives can also produce changes and polarizations within the same ethnic group and same religious community.

Islamophobia, Muslimophobia or racism? Parliamentary discourses on Islam and Muslims in debates on the minaret ban in Switzerland

“…In contrast to Behloul (2007), Skenderovic (2007: 170) argues that even before 9/11, in the 1990s, the SVP and Federal Democratic Union (EDU) 8 became fierce opponents of Muslim immigration, emphasising the separate development of different cultures and arguing that Muslim immigrants should stay in their home countries or at least return as soon as possible.…”

“…‘Muslims’, as an identifier, can override national identities such as Turkish, Albanian or Bosnian and be assigned negative social characteristics associated with ‘disorder’ such as not being ‘decent’ or ‘adapted’ (Wimmer, 2004). Behloul (2007) argues that since 9/11 and subsequent acts of Islamic terrorism, there has been a rise of hostility in Western countries against Muslims as a community rather than, for example, national or ethnic identifiers such as ‘Turks’ or ‘Arabs’ (p. 29). Before 9/11, Bosnian immigrants in Switzerland were perceived only as ‘foreigners’ and not as ‘Muslims’ or ‘European Muslims’ as they are now (Behloul, 2007: 29).…”

“…Behloul (2007) argues that since 9/11 and subsequent acts of Islamic terrorism, there has been a rise of hostility in Western countries against Muslims as a community rather than, for example, national or ethnic identifiers such as ‘Turks’ or ‘Arabs’ (p. 29). Before 9/11, Bosnian immigrants in Switzerland were perceived only as ‘foreigners’ and not as ‘Muslims’ or ‘European Muslims’ as they are now (Behloul, 2007: 29). This changed drastically after 9/11, when religious affiliation became a key identity marker.…”

“…This changed drastically after 9/11, when religious affiliation became a key identity marker. In the public perception, migrants of Islamic background are reduced to a single factor of a non-European religion, and Islam is used as the only frame of reference for Muslims’ ability to conform to civil behaviour and mainstream integration (Behloul, 2007: 30).…”

“…According to the Swiss People’s Party 7 (SVP), Muslim immigrants are particularly incapable of integrating into Swiss society and their presence should be considered an obstacle to achieving immigrant integration in Switzerland (Skenderovic, 2007: 170). In contrast to Behloul (2007), Skenderovic (2007: 170) argues that even before 9/11, in the 1990s, the SVP and Federal Democratic Union (EDU) 8 became fierce opponents of Muslim immigration, emphasising the separate development of different cultures and arguing that Muslim immigrants should stay in their home countries or at least return as soon as possible.…”