Europe and Its Muslim Minorities: Aspects of Conflict, Attempts at Accord

The presence of Muslim communities in Europe is a politically charged issue. Sporadic attacks by radical Muslims have further highlighted the problem of a deep cultural divide between the Muslims and their host countries. There is, however, no one "Islamic Nation", and a distinction must be made between the radical Muslim minority and secular or practicing Muslims who subscribe neither to the theology nor politics of the radicals. The influx of Muslim immigrants into Europe is rooted in the common human aspiration for a better life. But to date no European consensus has yet evolved that adequately deals with the political, social, religious, and economic challenges associated with their absorption. This book presents a comprehensive picture of the causes and effects of Muslim immigration to the West. It discusses the population explosion in the sending countries, coupled with their declining availability of jobs and increasing desperation. The author describes the current context of Western countries with their shrinking populations and projected workforce shortages, and considers the readiness of the Continent in general and specific countries in particular to allow Muslim communities access to Europe's future and wealth or, conversely, to keep them apart. At the heart of the problem lie issues such as the readiness of the immigrants to adapt to European standards and Western culture, Europe's and Christianity's traditional intolerance of the "other", and the determination of the followers of Islam not to lose their identity. In such a fluid and complex situation, there are few immediate solutions or overriding certainties, but one thing stands out: attitudes of Islamophobia and Europhobia do not adequately explain the dilemma.