Contents
Preface: The ‘Religion and Democracy in Europe’ initiative 5
About the Authors 6
Introduction 7
The research background: exceptionalism and Islam 7
Keywords: conflict, mosques, Islam, Europe 9
Islam and Europe: stages of approximation 10
Cultural conflicts and public debates on Islam in Europe 11
Guidelines and methodology of the research 13
1 Results of the research 17
1.1 Defining the mosque in Europe 17
1.2 Summary of historical and comparative elements 19
1.3 A general overview 22
1.4 The presence of Islamic places of worship in Europe: some national cases 26
2 Elements of conflict 37
2.1 Conflicts: a definition 37
2.2 Symbolism and territory 38
2.3 Battles over the minaret 45
2.4 The question of the adhan (call-to-prayer) 48
2.5 Cemeteries and specific areas for burial of Muslims 49
3 Players on the move in the public arena 51
3.1 Mosques as a visible dimension 51
3.2 Islamic actors and intra-Muslim dynamics 53
3.4 Intra- and inter-ethnic divisions 58
3.4 Social actors: citizens 60
3.5 Political, bureaucratic and judicial actors 64
3.6 Other religious actors 73
3.7 Perception and ‘mediatization’ 80
3.8 Intellectual legitimization 82
4 Lessons from the conflicts 85
4.1 The ways in which conflicts develop 85
4.2 Current trends 87
4.3 Best practices? 91
4.4 Conclusions 94
