Islam and the Laïcité

notes on a post-secular approach on studies regarding religious terrorism

Abstract

Approaching the problem of religious terrorism, this article proposes an analysis of this phenomenon, starting from the relation between politics and religion. The article’s objective is to analyse Islamic terrorism in the context of French laïcité. It is argued that the separation between politics and religion in the French context, whose roots have origins in the modern liberal European tradition differently from the Islamic tradition, can be considered as a factor which contributes to the perpetuation of religious (Islamic) terrorism in the country. The author proposes a post-secular and an interdisciplinary approach of International Relations to the study of religious terrorism studies.