Islam within Europe: A Clash of Civilizations?

Narine HAKOBYAN

Master's thesis

The "Clash of Civilizations" Theory Muslim Immigration to Europe: Case Studies Muslim Immigration to Europe ? A Clash of Civilizations

Abstract:

Coexistence of civilizations within the concept of cultural and political studies has always been an authentic phenomenon. Bearing in mind that the notion of "civilization" is often termed as a synonym for the broader term "culture" in both popular and academic circles, there still exist certain distinguished characteristics between the two notions.However, the cultural aspect of civilizations, its role and impact on the formation of national identities in Europe and beyond is already a historical truth. By means of multi-layered case studies of certain countries of Western Europe such as Germany and the Netherlands, cultural diversities, similarities, conflicting relationships and clashes will be revealed and discussed on the background of the future of Europe- as a state and hub of cultures or a battlefield. Comparison and contrast will be conducted for analyzing different civilizations, particularly the Western and Islamic, introducing case studies of conflicts that are observed between the two civilizations.

Abstract:

The commonly mentioned and discussed contraposition of the two civilizations namely Islam vs. West has brought about numerous debates among contemporary writers, politicians and statesmen. Putting religion (Islam) and civilization (West) on oppositional grounds, the two should come to be mutually exclusive in this context. However, the West actually contains a huge portion of Islam while there is no West in the Islam. Whereas Islam fights against the Western values not to emerge into their own, the West does not mind Islam to become a part of its civilization by supporting freedom of religious views. The ?civilizational consciousness? of the followers of Islam being secular bases the cultural identity of people around religion, while the Western society does not necessarily identify its cultural status with religion. As an example of a case study can be the observation of the Turkish-German community and their activities in becoming integrated into the German society while attempting to preserve the ?in-between? national identity of Europeanized Turks. The tradition of the hejab (Muslim wear (preserved by the Muslim communities in Europe, particularly in France, has been drawing debates by the French government. To become fully-fledged members of the French society, the government requires immigrants to obey and take up social norms and standards of the French way of life, which, in the case of Muslims, brings about an authentic type of clash between the two civilizations. These are only a few of many specific cases that can be discussed in the context of cultural clashes existent in the European pluralistic society and beyond it.

Keywords

muslims of europe/muslims in europe, clash, civilization, religion, pluralism, multiculturalism, rejectionism, assimilation, integration, common european identity, islam as a clash of civilizations, etc

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 20. 5. 2011

Identifier: 130865

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Doc. Mgr. Jaroslav Miller, Ph.D.

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY IN OLOMOUC

Philosophical Faculty

Master programme / field:
Cultural Studies / Euroculture