Synopses & Reviews
Today there are at least 15 million people in Western Europe who adhere to the Muslim faith or have close cultural or other affiliations with the Islamic world. Indeed, in the course of a few decades, Islam has emerged as Europe's second religion, after Christianity. What is remarkable about this phenomenon is that it has occurred gradually, generally peacefully, and, in some measure, as a consequence of the economic needs of European countries.
Despite some difficulties, Islam is slowly but inexorably becoming part of Europe's social, cultural, and, to some degree, political landscape. The question today is not can Islam be uprooted and expelled from European soil, as was done six centuries ago during the period of Reconquista in Spain, but rather what is the best way of accommodating Islam in Europe and establishing cooperative relations between Muslims and the followers of other religious and/or secular value systems. This volume examines the situation and attempts to provide answers to these questions through a country-by-country analysis by recognized experts from each of the Western European nations examined. An invaluable resource and text for scholars, students, and other researchers involved with Islamic and European Studies.
Review
The new Europe faces two major challenges as it reshapes itself in this new century: the external challenge of enlargement and the internal challenge of immigration and assimilation of minorities. Islam, Europe's Second Religion goes to the heart of the second of these while having implications for the first as well. It deals with all the key issues: demographic change, the political and cultural identity of Europe, its ability to remain competitive in a global economy, the extent and limits of its tolerance for minorities, and its vulnerability to political extremism. Anyone who wishes to understand the emerging new Europe needs to read this excellent study.Stephen F. Szabo The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies Johns Hopkins University
Review
This volume offers an expert, balanced view of the complex situation of European Muslims. It brings together a number of penetrating studies that document the challenges to Europe as it is simultaneously pulled in the direction of greater integration from above and pushed by profound demographic and social transformations from below. The impressive breadth of coverage and the consistently sensible analysis give this work both immediacy and gravity: it is compelling on the dilemmas and opportunities of Muslim integration, and sharply observant on the implications of mutual accommodation for the future of two world forces--European social democracy and Islam itself.James Piscatori Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
Synopsis
Provides a country-by-country survey of the growing importance of Islam in Europe.
Synopsis
Islam is slowly, but inexorably becoming part of Europe's social, cultural, and, to some degree, political landscape. With at least 15 million people in Western Europe who adhere to the Muslim faith or have close cultural or other affiliations with the Islamic world, Islam has emerged as Europe's second religion, after Christianity. This volume provides a country-by-country survey by recognized experts from each of the Western European nations.
About the Author
SHIREEN T. HUNTER is Director of the Islam Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Hunter is the author or editor of five previous books, including The Future of Islam and the West (Praeger/CSIS, 1998) and Central Asia Since Independence (Praeger/CSIS, 1996).
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction by Shireen T. Hunter and Simon Serfaty
Country Surveys
Islam in France by Remy Leveau and Shireen T. Hunter
Islam in Germany by Andres Goldberg
Islam in the United Kingdom by John Rex
Islam in Italy by Stefano Allievi
Islam in the Benelux Countries by Nico Landman
Islam in Scandinavia by Lief Stenberg
Islam in Austria by Sabine Kroissenbrunner
Islam in Spain by Bernabe Lopez Garcia and Ana I. Planet Contreras
Islam in Greece by Thanos P. Dokos and Dimitris A. Antoniou
Islam in Portugal by Fernando Soares Loja
Cross-National Issues
Europeanization of Islam or Islamization of Europe? by Tariq Ramadan
Muslim Youth in Europe by Peter P. Mandaville
Islam, the European Union, and the Challenge of Multiculturalism by Sami Zemni and Christopher Parker
The Muslim Diaspora and the Islamic World by John L. Esposito
The Islamic Factor in the European Union's Foreign Policy by Fraser Cameron
Conclusions and Outlook for European Islam by Shireen T. Hunter
Selected Bibliography
Index