Between normality and exceptionality: the place of Muslims in society debates in Belgium

This paper introduces the analysis of some fieldwork material collected in Belgium within the framework of the European project “Countering Islamophobia through the development of best practices in the use of counter-narratives in EU member states”. In particular, some reflections will be brought on the place of Muslims in the broader debate on Islam in Belgium, as well as, more precisely, in dealing with some issues such as radicalization and Islamophobia. The starting point is that a polarization is at play between a process of discrediting political representatives having a Muslim background – claimed or assigned – when intervening in general society debates, and the mobilization and legitimation of Muslims’ participation as key stakeholders on specific topics. Islamic religion operates as prior identity marker and this occurs in two directions. On the one hand, it seems to preclude the intervention of Muslim experts on non-religiously related issues at a larger level; on the other hand it fosters the solicitation of Muslim personalities (activists, analysts, artists etc.) – or it creates spaces for them to intervene – as specialists of religiously-related matters. To challenge this polarization, a tension emerges between the will of “making commonplace of Muslims”, of “normalizing” their presence through making their moral positioning a common character among others, and the need of claiming expertise and rights that are specifically disregarded when dealing with Muslim people. The tension is between indistinctness and visibility, between normality and exceptionality. Such challenge results into actions that promote the inclusion of Muslims as full citizens of the local society.