This book investigates the socio-political mechanisms that have allowed Islamophobia to become a normalized and respectable form of discourse within contemporary French society. James Wolfreys, a scholar of French politics, utilizes historical analysis and political theory to argue that the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment is not an isolated phenomenon but a byproduct of authoritarian neoliberalism and the exploitation of colonial legacies by mainstream political actors. He posits that the state's redefinition of secularism has provided a veneer of legitimacy for systemic discrimination, effectively fracturing traditional anti-racist coalitions.

Experts and political commentators recognize this work as a rigorous examination of the structural roots of French intolerance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational text for those studying the intersection of secularism and state-sanctioned racism.