If Multiculturalism Is Dead In Europe, Then It Must Be Dead Everywhere Else Too

Recently British Prime Minister, David Cameron, followed his German counterpart's example and declared multiculturalism a failure. Angela Merkel did the same in October last year, stating, "...of course, the approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other... has failed, utterly failed." (see previous link).  French integration has led to the banning of Muslim face coverings, and not surprisingly, Sarkozy also joined the chorus against multiculturalism saying, 'We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him.'

Cameron argued that there needed to be a more robust 'national identity' in order to combat 'all kinds of extremism' in Britain. With the previous rationales in mind, one doesn't have to delve too deeply to see that the 'multiculturalism' referred to is really Islam and Muslim communities and culture that spring thereof. 

As such the burning question is: Does integration apply to expats and immigrant communities in the Muslim world as well? And by 'immigrant' and 'expat' we mean White and Western (but not limited to).

The United Arab Emirates, arguably the most liberal Muslim nation, has opened its arms to the West, at risk of its cultural and religious mores, and this has led to an increasingly Westernized society evidenced through Western media content, the growing workforce made up of many from the West and former colonies thereof, and the changing mode of dress and social interaction (primarily in flouting religious and cultural standards of modest dress and public abuse of alcohol).

Local authorities in the UAE concerned about the growing marginalization of their own people,  embarked on Emiratisation programmes to increase the presence of locals in the workforce. But the problem is also social. Some incidents of expats 'breaking the rules' have received international media attention, usually with sympathy for the perpetrators, and some amount of disdain for the standards of the host country. Some expats intentionally and openly defy the standards of dress and propriety in the name of their brand of Western freedom. 

Suffice it to say, Muslim nations are oft criticised by the West (and not without reason) for their strict moral standards and application of related justice, from putting their women 'under sheets' to insisting on the prohibition of pre-marital sex, and the harsh sentences for adultery or public indecency. But if multiculturalism has failed, and one is to be true to the aforementioned conclusions, then integration should take place wherever the context. 


The simple conclusion is - to all non-Muslims in the Muslim world - follow the lead of Western integration and don your burqas, dishdashas and abayas. It's only fair. If a Muslim cannot wear a burqa in the West, then a Westerner must wear it in the East.  Anything less would be hypocritical. But how would these standards be greeted by expats in the UAE should they be enforced? What would be the response if the UAE were to declare the failure of alien populations to learn Arabic, and the consequent repatriation of those who do not learn it? Your opinion is welcome.