Nguyen, Katie

Mr. Wisner

World History

1st Period

September 6, 2016

Cultural Interaction
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/02/europe/france-burkini-ban/

Key Vocabulary from the Article (Define at least 4).

o fundamentalism: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a
set of basic principles
o infringement: the act of violation
o secularism: the belief that religion should not play a role in government,
education, or other public parts of society
o enslavement: to make (someone) a slave

Summary of the Event (at least 3 major points; each point will have its own paragraph)
On Thursday, a court in Nice, France overturned the ban on burkinis, a full-length
swimsuit commonly worn by Muslim women. Judges from Nice's administrative court
said that it didn't pose as a risk to public order, therefore there was no need to ban them.
The Collective Against Islamophobia, a group of human rights activists that have been
helping women challenge the swimwear fines, brought the case to the Nice court. They
argued that the ban was discriminatory and illegitimate against Muslim women.
This decision comes after 30 different towns in France called upon a ban to the
swimwear that covers the entire body except for the face, hands, and feet. Authorities in
favor of the ban argued that it should continue in the wake of the Bastille Day terror
attacks that left many traumatized. Officials also justified the ban by saying that the
burkini can be interpreted as affiliation with religious fundamentalism. However,
French judges ruled that this reason was "not sufficient to legally justify the contested
ban."
Opinions on this subject are divided within the country. Some are stating that the
ban is an infringement on religious freedom, while others are saying that the burkini is
going against Frances enforced secularism. French prime Minister Manuel Valls
supports the ban, calling the burkini a symbol of the enslavement of women.

Your Opinion of the Event (at least 3 sentences).

 I am glad to hear that the Nice court suspended the ban on burkinis. The arguments in
favor of the ban, are not justifiable by any means. No matter how the French authorities
decide to defend the ban, the suspension is still infringing upon a Muslim womans right
to wear whatever she wants. Burkinis are not a danger to society. Its only a piece of
clothing. French citizens that fear another Bastille Day terrorist attack need to realize that
extremists are the problem, not a Muslim woman wearing a burkini to the beach.

Relate your Event to a Historical Event (compare and contrast with current event).

This event is similar to a trouser ban that France passed during the French Revolution.
The ban prohibited women from wearing trousers unless they were permitted to by
policemen. Women wearing trousers was seen as an act of defiance, since it implied that
they were trying to challenge mens roles in society. The ban was amended two times
before being repealed in 2013, although it has not been enforced for a couple hundred
years. In both of these events, womens clothing was the main topic of controversy. The
effect that womens clothing had on the nation was so severe, that there had to be judicial
action taken. Another reason that these events are similar is that they both occurred in
France. These topics differ because the burkini ban is specific to Muslim women and
their practices. The trouser ban was not created to hinder religious beliefs; it was created
to prevent women from having the same rights as men. The burkini ban was created
because of fear over the Bastille Day attacks, while the trouser ban was created to
obstruct the progression of women.

Relate your Event to a Theme (at least 3 sentences). SEE BACK FOR THEMES

The burkini ban relates to the theme of cultural interaction. This event specifically
addresses the subjects of both religion and belief systems. The ban affects a Muslim
womans right to cover herself due to religious beliefs. In the Quran, it is advised that
women dress modestly, and many Muslim women adhere to that by covering up their
bodies. In this case, the beliefs of Islam differ from the beliefs of the mostly Roman
Catholic views of France due to religion.

Questions You Have About the Event (4).

- Have other countries banned Muslim women from wearing the burkini?
- How long has the burkini been around?
- Is it considered a crime for anyone, whether or not they are Muslim, to wear
something that shows affiliation with religious fundamentalism?
- Have there been similar bans within the United States that restrict what a woman
should and should not wear?
THEMES:

1.Cultural Interaction 2.Political Structures

o Religions o State-building, expansion, and conflict
o Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies o Empires
o Science and technology o Nations and nationalism

o The arts and architecture o Revolts and revolutions

3.Economic Structures 4.Social Structures

o Agricultural and pastoral production o Gender roles and relations
o Trade and commerce o Family and kinship
o Labor systems o Racial and ethnic constructions
o Industrialization o Social and economic classes
o Economic theories

5.Human-Environment Interaction
o Disease
o Migration & patterns of settlement
o Population growth
o Technology