Muslim women’s religious clothing practices have always been an area of conflict in Europe. When guest workers of the –“60s and –“70s asked to reunite with their families from their country of origin, new comers, mostly women and children, were highly visible in their cultural differences, especially with women’s veiling traditions. So far, as a result of security concerns, 2016 has been the year of the most heated debates about Muslim migrants’ religious clothing. Most recently, France’s beach towns’ burkini ban, consequently pushing Muslim women outside the public sphere, has been a symbol for anti- Muslim expression. France is not alone in Islamic veil controversy; Muslim women from Belgium, the Netherlands and even in the UK feel the bias against them are on the rise starting with the Charlie Hebdo attack. In addition, surveys among Muslim migrants (mostly men) illustrates a high percentage of participants do not hesitate to disclose their reluctance to integrate because they think that Europe is changing women’s traditional place in society.
This study intends to reveal the changes in European Muslim women's life after the Charlie Hebdo attacks that can be taken as "ground zero" of an unprecedented terrorist rampage. Investigation will focus on Muslim migrant women, those who are also European citizens, and the research question will be if there have been any changes in this target group's establishment in their fundamental rights. The study will focus on different legal regulations and policies of states on fundamental rights in the name of margin of appreciation and its possible links to the notion of European public order.
