Gendered Islamophobic Securitisation and the Headscarf Conundrum in France and the Netherlands

There are several concerns about the worldwide impact of Islamophobia. This chapter presents a comparative analysis of gendered Islamophobia in France and the Netherlands. Both nations have recently implemented niqab restrictions in the context of a Global War on Terror culture that has established itself in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, as well as the cumulative impact of restrictive de-radicalisation programmes. Based on a theoretical and conceptual assessment of the gendered nature of Western European Islamophobia, this chapter contends that women’s headscarves have been weaponised as a political tool in the context of an increasing shift to the political right, with populist politicians exploiting fears and misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims. These are bolstered by the actions of certain individuals operating in institutions such as the media, politics, and academia who are contributing to the normalisation of Islamophobia. Securitisation and Islamophobia work in tandem to further isolate and alienate Muslim minority women in general, but especially those with visible markers of difference displayed through their external dress—a group that embodies the ‘others’ in secular, liberal democracies.