In the wake of such events as the publication of offensive cartoons of the prophet Mohammed in a Danish newspaper, the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an Islamist extremist, and a growing anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment across Europe, relations between Europeans and both the Islamic world and Muslims living in Europe are increasingly strained. Islam and Europe brings together seven authorities on the global role of Islam to discuss ways to overcome this entrenched animosity and engender new possibilities and understandings. Though approaching this issue from distinct points of view, the contributors agree that only dialogue-both between the West and Islam and within and among societies historically identified with Islam-will confrontation give way to consensus. Moreover, by encouraging free and critical thinking, such dialogue may, the contributors argue, pave the way to social equity and the scientific innovation that will lead to greater prosperity in the Muslim world. Based on papers presented at the first Intercultural Relations Conference, organized by Forum A. & A.
Leysen, held in Leuven in 2007, the essays collected in this volume are accompanied by the most important questions after each presentation and the speakers' responses. Although the question of how to actually construct the dialogue remains unsettled, this groundbreaking book takes a giant step toward an answer. Contributors: Luda A. Abicht, University of Ghent and University of Antwerp; Sadik al-Azm, Yale University, Hunter College, Damascus University, and Princeton University; Tariq Ali; John R. Bowen, Washington University, St. Louis; Roger Dillemans, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; Mark Eyskens, Former Minister of State, Belgium; Marie-Claire Foblets, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; University of Brussels, and University of Antwerp; Tariq Modood, University of Bristol; Ruud Peters, University of Amsterdam; Jean Pierre Rondas, Journalist, Belgium; Bassam Tibi, University of Gottingen; Nasr H. Abu Zayd, University of Utrecht and University of Leiden