How the French State Justifies Controlling Muslim Bodies: From Harm-Based to Values-Based Reasoning.

The article discusses legal justifications for French laws and legal decisions concerning Muslim women's dress in the early 21st century. According to the author, the reasoning behind these justifications has shifted from harm-based to values-based arguments and is based on politically expedient premises concerning concepts of French national identity and laïcité, or secularity. It is suggested that these arguments criticize Muslims for a perceived rejection of modern French values. Topics discussed include French law concerning headscarves and other coverings for the face and hair, marriage practices, citizenship, and popular perceptions of Muslim women as submissive and subordinate.