Ambivalent Purity

Abstract

Since the end of the 1990s Moroccan-Dutch youth increasingly identify themselves as Muslim and are categorized as such. Regardless of the way they practice their faith, reference to a “pure” Islam and to being Muslim as being one's “true” self are the most important constituting elements in their identity politics. While some scholars and politicians see young Muslims’ distinguishing between religion and culture as a sign of radicalization or lack of integration, the author argues that Muslim youth’s reflections on their Islam and their practices and experiences are a cultural construction grounded in a contemporary local and global context.