"The Hijab Issue" in Italy: the State’s Response and the Public Attitude

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2022-4/146-163

Abstract

The article analyzes various aspects of the notorious “hijab issue” in the context of Italy, which has become relevant in almost all states of modern Europe in the light of the current migration crisis, or “the new migration period”. In particular, while in the growing number of European countries that have legalized a ban on traditional female Muslim clothing and headdresses (burkas, hijab, niqaab, etc.), and most importantly, the appearance of migrant women in such attire in public places, in Italy these behavioral norms are not officially ostracized on a national scale, and prohibitive legal norms exist only in two regions of the country — Lombardy and Veneto. In addition, the study focuses on how broad segments of the population in various parts of the country perceive the practice of wearing traditional Muslim clothing and head coverings. The author notes the tolerance of a large percentage of Italians, especially in the South of the country, towards the foreign cultural habits and preferences, largely fueled by more recent traditional behavioral standards, ethical and aesthetic norms and “canons” of folk fashion of the titular population of Italy itself.