The limits of tolerance and the extent to which European society can respect cultural differences are "difficult political questions" admitted Dekker, who was speaking to EurActiv Slovakia in an interview about Islamophobia in the EU. But he stressed the crucial importance of integrating Muslims into European society and warned: "Radicalisation is a result of marginalisation and exclusion."
"Muslims never form a coherent group" and thus it is unrealistic to expect to treat Islamic minorities in European countries as such, insisted Dekker, calling for stereotypes to be forgotten as "the reality is much more complicated".
The compatibility of European and Islamic cultural norms is currently under the spotlight in Professor Dekker's native Netherlands, where Geert Wilders - whose Freedom Party has nine seats in the lower house of parliament – recently said he has "had enough of Islam" in the country.
Wilders called for the Koran to be banned and plans to release a film in support of such a move, generating debate on freedom of expression and religion respectively.
The integration of Islamic culture into European society is under the European spotlight this year in the context of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID 2008), which seeks to help EU citizens deal with a "more open and complex" environment.
Religious extremism is a "general phenomenon" and "nothing specific to Islam", stated Dekker, adding that it was "good to know who is in these radical groups and […] what their ideology is" to help understand "why they are ready to sacrifice themselves". Conversely, he also points out that "there are a lot of people who show respect for other ideas […] who are in favour of meeting and exchanging views and understanding".
Asked whether the authorities should get intervene in cases of discrimination against female, gay or lesbian Muslims (so-called 'minorities within minorities'), Dekker was positive. "We should absolutely intervene. In many [European] constitutions no discrimination is allowed. There are no exemptions".
Finally, he urged for issues such as whether Muslim girls should wear the headscarf in schools to be dealt with "from a practical point of view," with the need for communication between teachers and students treated as "paramount".
To read the full interview with Professor Dekker, please click here.
