When Islam and Democracy Meet: Muslims in Europe and in the United States

Exploring the woefully neglected reality of Islam as a major cultural and religious facet of American and European politics and societies, Cesari examines how Muslims in the West are challenging the notion of an inevitable clash or confrontation. Comparing the interaction of Muslims with their new countries, this book addresses the implications of increased Islamic visibility, violent clashes, beneficial co-operation and questions within the Muslim community about their role and the role of Islam in democratic states.

Exploring the woefully neglected reality of Islam as a major cultural and relgious facet of American and European politics and societies, Cesari examines how Muslims in the West are challenging the notion of an inevitable clash or confrontation. With nearly twelve million Muslims living in the larger countries of Western Europe and almost six million in America, the challenges of integrating newcomers within different countries, and the place of Islam in democratic and secular context in the post 9/11 context, have become more pertinent. Comparing the interaction of Muslims with their new countries, this book addresses the implications of increased Islamic visability, violent clashes, beneficial cooperation, and questions within the Muslim community about their role and the role of Islam in democratic states. Pursuing a holistic approach to Muslims as a new minority within western democracy, Cesari provides important insights.

'Wide-ranging and thoughtful...contributing greatly to our understanding of contemporary intra-Muslim politics.' - Karen Leonard, University of California, Irvine, USA

'A pioneering attempt to engage in a comparative study of Muslim experiences on both sides of the Atlantic.' - Ali S. Asani, Harvard University, USA

'A close reading of Cesari's book leaves the reader with a desire for more; not only regarding the many topics she discusses, but also concerning the numbers and the practical information she offers. This book deserves a future edition.' - Tirza Visser, International Journal of Public Theology

Autorentext
Jocelyne Cesari, is a political scientist, specializing in contemporary Islamic societies, globalization and democratization. She is Senior Research Fellow at the Berkley Center for Peace, Religion and World Affairs at Georgetown University. At Harvard University, she directs the international research program called 'Islam in the West." She has written numerous articles and books on Islam, Globalization, Democratization and Secularism in Western and Muslim-majority contexts. Her most recent publications include Encyclopedia of Islam in the United States (2007), Muslims in the West After 9/11: Religion, Politics and Law (2010), and The Awakening of Muslim Democracy: Religion, Modernity and the State (2013).

Inhalt
PART I: MUSLIMS AND THE WEST: A MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION Ethnic Islam and Multiculturalism Islam as Stigma Secularized Ismal PART II: WESTERN MUSLIMS AND GLOBAL ISLAM: THE IMAGINED UMMAH The Essentialized Ummah The Virtual Ummah The Quest for Religious Authority The Reinvented Ummah