Keywords: Challenges of comparative research and International Survey Projects, cross-cultural concerns in data collection and measurement issues

In a 2017 public opinion study on religion, Pew Research Center finds that most Western Europeans support at least some restrictions on Muslim women’s religious clothing. Across 15 countries surveyed, a median of 22% reports that Muslim women in their country should be allowed to wear any religious clothing of their choosing, 50% say they should be allowed to wear religious clothing as long as it does not cover their face and a median of 19% say they should not be allowed to wear any religious clothing at all. Using quantitative survey data, as well as focus group data conducted across five different countries, we investigate explanations for these views. Generally, restrictive views of Muslim women’s clothing are associated with negative views of Muslims and immigrants. Focus group discussions shed further light, as several participants say Islamic headcoverings, and other traditional clothing worn by Muslim women in public, challenge Western Europeans’ views of gender equality.