Islamic ghettos, the veil and the threat of extremism are all issues raised at one point or another by governments across Europe, and as we have seen in the run up to the UK elections, are often used as a rallying call against a backdrop of growing resentment toward Muslim immigrants, and immigration in general.
But this has only served to mask the real problems encountered by Muslim minorities in European society – those of social exclusion, economic deprivation and growing inequality. These are the real issues, and the refusal to deal with them can only serve to entrench feelings of marginalisation.
A study carried out here in Ireland found that over half of all immigrants are better educated then their Irish counterparts, yet this is clearly not reflected in the workforce. Most immigrants, especially non-Europeans, are involved in menial labour, and it isn’t uncommon to see an Irish ‘national’ in a place of prominence over skilled immigrant workers by virtue of nationality alone.
Why such skilled individuals are seemingly undervalued in Irish society is anyone’s guess, but if the experiences of other European countries teach us anything, it’s that by depreciating the value of positive, proactive participation in society, we open the floodgates of social ill and conflict. We’re already witnessing the effects of that here.
Menial labour pays a pittance, and with calls for a reduction in the minimum wage this is set to get even worse. Those affected by these cuts naturally seek more affordable accommodation, thereby giving rise to the fabled Islamic ghettos.
Those who reside in such ghettos will no doubt, as we have seen in France, be singled out as undesirables and subjected to employment discrimination and exclusion – giving rise to high unemployment, poor educational prospects and a cycle of distrust and inequality.
An ‘us-versus-them’ sentiment eventually takes hold, and a socially engineered situation is turned into a Muslim problem, to which all manner of abstractions (the burqa, etc) are evoked to disguise the real issues.
Ireland and Europe can invent a culture that defines itself through its opposition to Islam, but the burning issues for Muslims are those that affect every person in Ireland – those of worth, fulfilment and appreciation.
Liam Egan is South East branch manager with MPACIE (Muslim Public Affairs Council Ireland)
