Kai Hafez Book order

Islam in "Liberal" Europe provides the first comprehensive overview of the political and social status of Islam and of Muslim migrants in Europe. In addition to offering a critical assessment of positive and negative trends in Islamic-Western relations, Kai Hafez also engages in a theoretical debate revolving around integration, tolerance, multicultural liberalism, and modern liberal democracy. Assessing Islamophobia as it is manifested in politics, society, media, academia, school, and churches, the author debates the question of whether liberal society in Europe, in order to avoid a growing gap between integrative politics and discriminatory societies, needs a complete renewal not only of political ideologies but also of cultures and institutions.

Challenging the perception of political Islam as inherently violent or authoritarian, the book presents a nuanced analysis that argues for its compatibility with Western democratic values. It explores the complexities of political Islam, offering insights that counter prevalent stereotypes and misconceptions, ultimately advocating for a more informed understanding of its role in contemporary politics.

The anthology is an introduction to political cultures in the Islamic world and into relations between the West and Islam. It outlines similarities and differences in the understanding, perception and communication of basic politico-ideological issues like modernity democracy, human rights, violence, the emancipation of women, and economic development and social justice. It details its analyses in country studies on relations between the USA and Europe on the one side and Algeria, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Bosnia, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Central Asia and Pakistan on the other side. The book, which was first published in Germany, was deemed to be "a convincing reply to Huntington" (Suddeutsche Zeitung). Mostly German scholars and scholars working in Germany present original insights into a complex matter that although at the heart of international and intercultural relations is often treated in simplistic ways.