The Politics of Belonging Religiosity and Identification among Second-Generation Moroccan Dutch

What does ‘being Muslim’ mean for adult children of Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands? Based on our own data, and on various other empirical studies, we show how the second generation shape and experience their Muslim identity in the Netherlands and how this is affected by the political landscape. Our conclusion is that the strong identification as Muslim among second-generation Moroccan Dutch is (at least partially) reactive, but not necessarily traditional. This sheds light on the discussion of the extent to which Muslim religiosity is a reaction to an exclusionary context. The Netherlands is an extreme case in Europe, as it has experienced a shift from relative tolerance of cultural and religious diversity to harsh intolerance, expressed through culturalized notions of citizenship. Being Dutch has become increasingly defined as modern and progressive (such as being tolerant of homosexuality) and secular. The centrality of religion in the framing of who belongs and who does not contrast with the situation in other countries such as the United States, where religion is less contested and impacts the meaning of identifying as Muslim in particular ways.