Muslims in Belgium: From Immigrant Guestworkers to a Polymorphic and Contested Minority

Abstract

The vast majority of the Belgian Muslim population is tied in one way or another to an appeal made to immigrant guest workers by the Belgian public authorities in the 1960s. Despite the lack of previous colonial relations and thanks to strong economic ties and significant coordination efforts by Belgian diplomats and representatives there, Morocco and Turkey became the main countries of origin. A large fraction of Moroccan and Turkish migrants were granted Belgian nationality in the 1970s. Consequently, Islam became increasingly visible in the public space and former immigrants were increasingly labelled as Muslims. One of the first research agendas related to the insertion of Islam in Belgium focused on its institutionalization into the Belgian state and church system. If the study of the various forms of belonging to Islam has been the topic of much research, the study of minority groups within Islam is scarce. And if some very interesting research exists on mobilizations seeking the political representation of Muslims, the analysis of Islamist movements is complexified by the hysterical nature of the public debate related to Islam and Muslims in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Finally, regarding future challenges, despite the enormous account on institutionalization of Islam, few research have described the trajectories of Imams and even less how religious content produced by woman and/or on social media influences the construction of religious authority.