In-between Spaces: Christian and Muslim Minorities in Transition in Europe and the Middle EastChristiane Timmerman The relationship between Europe and the Middle East has been important, yet tumultuous, for more than a thousand years. In both regions, immigrants from religious minorities found their place and yet often stayed connected through historical and/or religious ties to the other region. Several large Christian communities remained in the Middle East after the Islamization of the region. More recently, immigration from Mediterranean countries has brought Islam back into Europe. Muslim communities with diverging regional and ideological backgrounds are increasingly becoming part of the European landscape. The influence of globalization has given way to a shift in the position of minorities in their relationship to the majority culture, in which religion is played out as a key element. We are also currently witnessing a reinterpretation of the minority issue in itself and a repositioning of minority communities within the dominant strand of society. The interaction between global and local contexts has created new dynamics in the minority issue and therefore requires renewed academic analysis. This publication comprises the contributions of scholars and researchers who participated in a conference on the topic organized by the University Centre Saint-Ignatius Antwerp in December 2007 and covers different aspects of the subject matter including the politics of religious diversity, religion and ethnic identity, migration, conversion, virtual communication, European Islam and feminine minority discourse. |
Contents
Preface | 11 |
INTRODUCTION | 15 |
Christian Minorities in the Middle East in Transition | 23 |
Matching Modernity with Traditional Tolerance | 33 |
The Christian Minorities in Iraq | 45 |
At the Limits of Toleration | 61 |
Multiple Identities on the Border | 79 |
Migration Ethnoreligious Groups and Integration | 103 |
Hiphop Nasheeds and Cool Sheikhs | 149 |
Between Participation and Disengagement Muslim Minorities | 169 |
INTRODUCTION | 193 |
Globalisation and a Living Islamic Identity | 203 |
The Internet as a Vehicle of Empowerment | 219 |
The Intellectual Challenges and Interpretative Approaches | 233 |
A Prelude to Fiqh alAqaliyyât | 239 |
Markers for Reading the Koran | 271 |
A Religious and Feminine Counterdiscourse | 113 |
Conversion to Islam in the Belgian Context | 131 |
Contributors | 279 |
Common terms and phrases
accepted according Alawites allowed Anatolia Antakya Arabic Assyrian authority become British century Christian Church citizens citizenship communities concept concerning considered context converts countries created cultural debates develop discourse discussions diversity Dutch equality ethnic Europe European example existing experience expression fact faith groups identity important influence institutions integration Internet Iraq Islamic schools issues knowledge Kurds language living London majority means Middle East millet minority Moroccan Muslim Netherlands non-Muslim organisations Ottoman particular political popular population position practice present Press principle protection question recent reference regard region relations religion religious result Ridâ role rule scholars secular sense situation social society speak status structure subjects Sunni Syria tion traditional treatment Turkey Turkish understanding University values various Western women young Muslims