Anthropologist John Bowen on Islam, Immigration, and What It Means to Be French
In 2015 alone, hundreds of thousands of migrants have fled war-torn Syria and elsewhere and made their way to Europe. While many Europeans have welcomed the refugees, some countries have expressed reluctance to accept Muslim asylum seekers. At PRX Hold that thought, anthropologist John Bowen talks about the ongoing crisis and sees a discouraging consistency with the larger history of Islam and immigration in Europe, particularly in France. Here he talks about that history and and how Europe, and France in particular, can best move forward.
Listen to the podcast HERE.
The podcast was released days before the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris. As the attacks continue to shape attitudes about the migrant crisis, we hope the podcast can provide some helpful context and history. For updated commentary from John Bowen, please see his op-ed in the Los Angeles Times: What can France do to battle the homegrown terrorism?
