‘Crisis of Multiculturalism', Neoliberalism and Possibilities for Creating Alternative Narratives in Activism

During the last decade the ‘crisis of multiculturalism’ discourse has characterized media and political discussions in many European countries. Especially Muslims and non-western minorities have been framed as problematic outsiders that enhance illiberal cultures, followed by demands on stronger integration and assimilative measures. Notions of gender equality and sexual freedom have played a significant role in such debates not the least in the Nordic countries that build their national identities on being world-champions in achievements in gender equality. Building on interview and media data gathered in Denmark, this presentation focuses on how activists who belong (or are categorized as belonging) to racialised groups (Muslims, non-western minorities) seek to provide alternative narratives and question these hegemonic discourses about migrant/minority families and communities.

Public debates on gendered violence in Muslim families, especially forced marriages and honour-related violence, have been on the agenda in Danish media and politics since the 1990s.The othering images of the subordinated, victimized Muslim woman and the threatening, patriarchal Muslim man have circulated in the media for more than a decade, with consequences also for the everyday lives of the racialized subjects. My paper will analyze how activists create spaces to challenge such images and discourses, as well as to produce alternative narratives and imaginaries. Moreover, it will be discussed how such spaces are shaped by neoliberal rationality that emphasizes individualization and entrepreneurialism. It will be analyzed how governmental ‘role model’ projects, mentor networks for ethnic minority women and media interest in ‘the voice of ethnic minority women’ shape the spaces from which the studied activists publicly speak from – spaces embedded in, but not totally restricted by multiple power relations.