Religious minorities and European social integrationAn evaluation of political instruments - the case of Muslim minorities in Spain

Resumen

The starting point of Ph.D. dissertation “Religious Minorities and European Social Integration: An Evaluation of Political Instruments -The Case of Muslim Minorities in Spain-” is the literature and policies review that evidence that the management of diversity in general, and of religious diversity in particular, represents one of the current key challenges for Western states. The Spanish context is not an exception in this context and in this research we try to critically look at the main policy instrument implemented so far in Spain in relation to religious minorities and identify possible necessary changes to improve it, in such a way that different or additional religious needs may also have the opportunity to be heard and accommodated. In a general framework, the objectives of the present research are linked to the need to better understand the policy instruments’ efficacy and equip ourselves with tools that could lead to a better management of religious diversity, framed by inclusiveness and in line with the democratic principles and values. Specifically, the objective of this research is centered on looking for studies, research, and reports on the topic, and the evaluation of one particular policy instrument of the Spanish Government, developed by the Foundation Pluralism and Cohabitation (FPC). In this respect, the dissertation aims to answer two main questions: To what extent does the existing FPC policy instrument address the social integration needs of Muslim minorities? and How can the FPC policy instrument be modified to effectively address Muslim minorities’ integration? Implying a qualitative methodology, this dissertation concludes that social integration policies should be improved to better address Muslims’ needs and reduce the risk of social tensions. Additionally, examining the impact of social integration policies over Muslim minorities in Spain and recording their testimonies for policy change, the dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of policy instrument gaps and elaborates some proposals to improve them.