Hypermodern religiosity: how young Muslims embrace traditional Islam and why it has little to do with terrorism

The wearing of the niqab and other items of clothing that cover the face has been the subject of intense debate in several European countries, notably France where legislation has been passed in the French parliament which prohibits the concealment of an individual’s face in public. Raphaël Liogier states that while western commentators often link the niqab to traditional Islamic values, its contemporary appeal is part of a distinctly modern trend that has more in common with ‘new age’ fashions than radical Islam.