Laïcité in Practice: the Representations of French Teenagers
Résumé
Focusing on the results of the REDCo research, this publication sets out how French pupils conceive of laïcité, both generally and in school. It also explores pupils' perceptions of the 2004 law banning the wearing of ostentatious religious symbols in state schools, and their perceptions of the current arrangements for dealing with pupils' religiously motivated requests (e.g. absence for religious reasons, religious dietary requirements in school canteens). Finally, questions concerning if and how pupils have interiorized the principle of laïcité are considered. Does it still have a militant tone, with a kernel of anticlericalism and often anti-religious views? To conclude, it is shown that secondary pupils share a 'laïcité of proximity' which is neither how the state interprets laïcité, nor how it is used in ideological debates