Islamic Movements of Europe: Public Religion and Islamophobia in the Modern World

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'Islam in Europe' and 'Islamophobia' are subjects of vital global importance which currently preoccupy policy-makers and academics alike. Through the examination of various European Muslim groups and institutions that have branched off from Islamic movements - including the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jama'at-i Islami - this book outlines the configuration of social, political and religious processes that have given rise to new kinds of European Muslim organisations. The authors offer a new perspective on these Muslim groups and seek to reclaim them from the often highly-charged public debates by placing them within the context of their origins as politicised religious movements on the one hand and their ongoing incorporation into European societal structures on the other. They also consider the relationship of these organisations to their 'parent' movements and examine the presence of Islam in European education and higher education institutions. Taking into account the connection between Islamic movements and the perceived surge of 'Islamophobia' in Europe, this book does not debate the question of whether these groups fit into normative or cultural structures of European nation-states, but rather examines how these structures have changed through their interaction with these groups and the growing Muslim population within Europe. It does not consider political Islam as the antithesis to a refined notion of secularism, but as a form of public religion which contributes to the ever-changing structure of Europe's secular regimes. Featuring the work of more than 40 scholars from around the world, this is the comprehensive guide to Islamic movements in Europe, offering original, definitive perspectives on Muslims and Islam in Europe today. It will be essential reading for policy-makers, political commentators and scholars alike.

Reviews

'Addressing a topic that is little understood and subject to much speculation, Islamic Movements of Europe provides the most authoritative and comprehensive statement to date on this timely issue. The range and quality of the scholarship represented here will make it absolutely essential reading for researchers and policymakers alike.' Peter Mandaville, Director of the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies and Associate Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University, author of Global Political Islam 'Islamic Movements in Europe is a timely book. Muslim immigrants are now a significant part of Europe and yet their presence has become the object of political hostility in many European countries. Extreme rightwing movements and parties have gained considerable traction from the Islamophobia to which they themselves have contributed in a major way. One source of Islamophobia is the tendency to generalize about radical Islam in Europe. This book brings together a large body of articles by researchers that should help readers get a more nuanced and informed view of the subject. As such it deserves a wide audience.' Talal Asad, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center

Author Bio

Frank Peter is Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Berne. Rafael Ortega is Senior Researcher at Casa Arabe's International Institute of Arab and Muslim World Studies.