240095 VO+UE VM3 / VM1 - The Politics of Religion, Islam and the Muslim minorities in Europe (2021S)

The European nations face a paradox. On the one hand, anti-terrorism and security concerns push them to compromise the religious liberties of Muslims and to restrict the practice of Islam in the public space. On the other hand, European countries seek to regulate, institutionalize and give representation to (i.e. ‘Europeanize’) Islam and to facilitate the socioeconomic integration of Muslim minorities. At the same time, the public visibility of Islam has rekindled discussions concerning the nature and content of European secularism, unintentionally giving rise to secular populist movements and Islamophobia. Using various European countries, such as Austria, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, as case studies, this seminar will frame these paradoxical developments.