Migration and Integration Challenges of Muslim Immigrants in Europe

As the impetus of globalization continues to gather pace, more and more people leave their homes pursuing dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. Muslim immigrants converging on Europe from widely divergent communities scattered throughout North Africa, the Middle East and South-East Asia, represent a great variety of local cultures and traditions. Trans-Mediterranean networks form the basis of migration routes and are key factors in the destinations of these migrants and in the overall process of immigration, be this towards Europe or other Muslim countries. South-North fluxes intertwine with South-South fluxes, among which the Gulf Arab countries stand out as a prime destination, not only for low-skilled labour. Different situations emerge, within a variegated discourse on co-existence, integration, assimilation and the preservation of identity. The adoption of this transnational dimension incorporating both destination, and points of origin, enables the investigation of migration to move beyond a purely Eurocentric approach. Thus, different national patterns are analyzed with a focus on a number of significant case-studies. By debating policies and cultural approaches the aim is to add innovative scholarship to the challenge of integration. Cross-cultural pluralism on the part of the nation states comprising the European Union is one avenue for moving the dialogue between different cultural frameworks towards a more compatible form.

Offers new perspectives on migration both from and to the Muslim world Highlights case-studies either neglected or stereotyped in the international debates on migration of Muslims Aims to give valid interpretation-keys to understand the complexity of this phenomenon Relevant to students and scholars with interests in migration studies, Islamic, Middle Eastern and social studies

Autorentext

Annemarie Profanter is Professor of Intercultural Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education of the Free University of Bolzano (unibz), Italy. Since 2004 she has resided periodically in Pakistan, Oman and Saudi Arabia conducting fieldwork and holding visiting fellowships at various universities. Her research focus is on gender issues in relation to Arab women in the Gulf, Islamic integration and migration issues in Europe.

Elena Maestri is Professor of History and Institutions of the Muslim World at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (UCSC), Milan, Italy. She has carried out extensive research on the history, politics and societies of the Gulf Arab countries, on gender issues and Islam, development and cooperation in the GCC, and on the old and the new media in the Arab-Muslim world.

Inhalt
Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Migration and the Muslim World: Perspektives and Challenges.- Chapter 3. Migration, Integration and Belonging. Pakistani Migrants in Britain and in the United Arab Emirates.- Chapter 4. Migration Changes and Integration Challenges in the Moroccan Case.- Chapter 5. Ceuta and Melilla: Integration and Coexistence in a plural Society.- Chapter 6. The Veil as Perceived and Real Boundary for Spanish Muslim Youth: Case by Case Regulation in Light of Discrimination and Individual Rights Claims.- Chapter 7. Resource Mobilization and the Institutional Frameword of Islam: The Integration of Muslim Turks in Germany.- Chapter 8. Immigration in Europe and Italy: Different Perspec- tives, Shared Challenges?- Chapter 9. Conclusion.