Islam and Europe
Keyword(s):
This chapter starts by critically analysing the most significant literature on the religiosity of Muslims in Europe. It then discusses two overlapping contexts which are key to explaining these forms of religiosity. On one hand, the global competition for Islamic orthodoxy, and on the other, the transformation of Islamic repertoires and institutions by European governments through the cumulative influence of securitization and secularism. The chapter argues that Islam is a topos activated at different moments in European history, from colonization to post-Second World War immigration. Post-9/11, growing pluralization and an emphasis on security have exacerbated an ‘us versus them’ mentality in which Muslims are definitely ‘them’.