- Section of Biblical Exegesis, Faculty of Theology
University of Copenhagen,
Karen Blixens Plads 16, building 06b
2300 Copenhagen S,
DENMARK - +45 51 21 76 82
Niels Valdemar Vinding
University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Theology, Faculty Member
- I am currently working as an associate professor and research leader with a Sapere Aude grant from the Independent Re... moreI am currently working as an associate professor and research leader with a Sapere Aude grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark. The project is called 'Producing Sharia in Context' and it demonstrates how sharia, framed as Islamic law, ethics and practice and observed amongst Muslims in Denmark and Europe, is substantially to be understood as a product of its context.edit
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Introduction to the special issue, Sharia and the Scandinavian Welfare States
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Churches as essential components of European culture have major significance for European integration. A Europe, bound by common constitutional traditions, cultures and traditions of its Member States, their national identity and the... more
Churches as essential components of European culture have major significance for European integration. A Europe, bound by common constitutional traditions, cultures and traditions of its Member States, their national identity and the principle of subsidiarity, will have to respect the deep-rooted systems of State and Church relationships in its Member States. The volume presents in its third edition a broad comparison of different systems of State and Church relationships in the Member States of the European Union. It includes the new Member States and gives an account of the new developments throughout Europe. The volume shows the implications of European integration on the position of the Churches. It is of interest to all working in the field of State-Church relationship as well as to public and church institutions. For Denmark, membership of the Church of Denmark is decreasing due to immigration, increasing religious diversity and growth in atheist sentiments. At the same time, there is a small increase in new baptisms. This reflects an increasingly polarised attitude towards religion, in general, and the Church of Denmark, in particular. With increasing immigration in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first, Denmark has a growing number of different religious denominations and faith communities. While it is illegal to register information on religious conviction or affiliation, demographers of religion estimate that about 5.3 % of the population, or about 300,000, are Muslim, either nominally or practising. The second significant religious minority is the Catholic Church in Denmark, which had 47,600 members as of 2017, up more than 25% since 2008. This is mainly due to immigration, most significantly from Poland and other European countries.
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The outputs of EURO-EXPERT include academic publications, CULTEXP - the first multilingual and cross-jurisdictional database on cultural expertise, data visualisation of in-court and out-of-court cultural expertise, a toolkit for the use... more
The outputs of EURO-EXPERT include academic publications, CULTEXP - the first multilingual and cross-jurisdictional database on cultural expertise, data visualisation of in-court and out-of-court cultural expertise, a toolkit for the use of cultural expertise, and publications for the general public. This dataset is the EURO-EXPERT data summary for Denmark
Trossamfund i Danmark, der vælger at søge om godkendelse og bemyndigelse til at forvalte ægteskab, skal vurderes af Det Rådgivende Udvalg vedr. Trossamfund under Ankestyrelsen. Udvalget arbejder efter en række formelle og indholdsmæssige... more
Trossamfund i Danmark, der vælger at søge om godkendelse og bemyndigelse til at forvalte ægteskab, skal vurderes af Det Rådgivende Udvalg vedr. Trossamfund under Ankestyrelsen. Udvalget arbejder efter en række formelle og indholdsmæssige krav og kriterier, der evaluerer trossamfundenes religionsbegreb, organisationsforhold og demokratiske praksis. Denne artikel undersøger udvalgets retningslinjer og den implicitte vægtning af værdier, som folkekirken og de afvigende trossamfund indgår i. Generelt kritiseres den ministerielle godkendelsespraksis for at støde minoritetsforkyndere væk fra staten og for at risikere diskrimination ved at trække grænser i det religiøse landskab. Artiklen diskuterer, hvilke værdier, der kan gøres til genstand for interkulturel evaluering og ser folkekirkelighed som fælles værdi og fremtidig ressource.
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Julian Rivers, professor of Jurisprudence at University of Bristol, sets out to a thorough systematic review of English law of organized religions. He does this through by arguing for the past, current and future conditions of legal... more
Julian Rivers, professor of Jurisprudence at University of Bristol, sets out to a thorough systematic review of English law of organized religions. He does this through by arguing for the past, current and future conditions of legal protection of collective spiritual life in England on the basis of his legal observations in legislation coupled with a very extensive use of more than five hundred relevant cases from all over the world. His primary concern in the book is to give an account of the development of legal doctrine, and methodologically he does this by establishing the historical foundation, comparing to relevant law and then extracting and discussion the systematic implications. His insight in comparatively relevant law from all over the world is waste, but his returning focus is the interplay between law of the European institutions and the domestic English law as this is the crux that frames the contemporary challenges and problems faced by organized religions in England.
Research Interests: Christianity, Jurisprudence, Canon Law, Epistemology, Natural Law, and 15 moreLaw and Religion, History of Religions, Islam, Secularisms and Secularities, Islamism, Interfaith Dialogue, Church of England, Religious Liberty, Ecclesiastical Law, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ecclesiastical Public Law, Contemporary Islamic Movement, Contemporary Christian Theology, Menneskerettigheder, and Faculty of Theology
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Interessen for islam og sharia har aldrig været større end i dag, og ikke mindst inden for mange velfærdsprofessioner er der et behov for klar og let tilgængelig viden på området. Sharia og samfund fokuserer på, hvordan sharia reelt... more
Interessen for islam og sharia har aldrig været større end i dag, og ikke mindst inden for mange velfærdsprofessioner er der et behov for klar og let tilgængelig viden på området. Sharia og samfund fokuserer på, hvordan sharia reelt praktiseres i Danmark, og gør læseren i stand til at forstå sharia i relation til nutidens samfundsudfordringer. Efter en kort indføring i sharia giver bogen en grundig gennemgang af shariapraksis i Danmark, illustreret med hyppige nedslag i forfatternes forskning med henblik på at gøre nutidens problemstillinger levende og konkrete. Sharia og samfund er skrevet til den læser, som ønsker mere viden om et af tidens vigtige emner - og ikke mindst til de mange fagprofessionelle, som møder shariarelaterede problemstillinger i deres arbejde. Denne bog gør læseren i stand til at bringe egen faglighed i spil, når shariarelaterede problemer skal løses.
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Les communautes religieuses au Danemark dependent, sur le plan juridique, de deux regimes de reglementation distincts. L’Eglise evangelique lutherienne, Eglise d’Etat, est consideree comme une (...)
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As section 66 of the current constitution governs the legal status of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, section 69 governs in a similar phrase the legal status of, literally, 'the from (...)
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Introduction to the special issue, Sharia and the Scandinavian Welfare States
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Against the background of increasing political and academic interest in imam and chaplaincy training and education in Europe, this article argues that the value and purpose of such education remains situated in an alignment between... more
Against the background of increasing political and academic interest in imam and chaplaincy training and education in Europe, this article argues that the value and purpose of such education remains situated in an alignment between educational provider, student-participants, and employer–stakeholder expectations. These expectations are primarily about Muslim students’ learning and development, requirements and standards of employers, and contributions to community and society, and only secondly, the educations aim at meeting political expectations. The article explores aspects of Hartford Seminary’s success with its programme and alignment of education content and environment with student expectations and the labour market demand. This is supported theoretically by the input–environment–outcome assessment model. The structural and contextually embedded criteria for excellence are discussed and problematised, pointing both to the marginalisation of other drivers of education development that are not market aligned and to strategies of embedding religious authority with chaplains in institutions rather than with imams in mosques. In conclusion, the article highlights the self-sustaining logics that drive educational development but also points to corroborating social, economic, and welfare reasons for quality imam and chaplaincy education.
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Following recent scholarly discussions on what kinds of religious law are accepted and recognised by state and the secular legal order, this article examines and discusses if and how sharia-understood as Islamic law, ethics and... more
Following recent scholarly discussions on what kinds of religious law are accepted and recognised by state and the secular legal order, this article examines and discusses if and how sharia-understood as Islamic law, ethics and practice-may be considered legally recognised in Denmark. The question has both scholarly, legal and political implications, as well as a long history. The Danish context of recognition of religious communities is introduced, with some historical remarks, but this article takes a practical and empirical point of view in recent Danish legislation of recognition of religious communities and examines the specific articles of association and supporting documents that form the basis of legal recognition. The article introduces a short conceptual and theoretical discussion of what legal recognition implies and how to understand legal recognition as the mutual establishment of legal facts. The articles tests the question of legal recognition looking at empirical case evidence, key aspects and analysis of Islamic religious law in 25 recognised Islamic religious communities in Denmark. Legal recognition has important but limited implication, which should not be overstated, but the article does conclude that sharia is recognised as part of the material basis of the recognition regime in Denmark.
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Just before Christmas 2016, the Danish parliament adopted the last part of an anti-extremism package called Forkynderloven (the so-called Act on Preachers), which might conflict with the understanding of religious freedom in the Danish... more
Just before Christmas 2016, the Danish parliament adopted the last part of an anti-extremism package called Forkynderloven (the so-called Act on Preachers), which might conflict with the understanding of religious freedom in the Danish Constitution. The Law includes a public sanction list of religious preachers, and Denmark has been accused of singling out Islam, and applying stricter restrictions on Muslims than on other segments of the population. This situation is further elaborated on in two independent reports that look at freedom of religion and discrimination in Denmark. The first is by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, which criticises the politically motivated reasons for limiting freedom of religion, with the more or less explicit purpose of limiting Muslim religious practices.
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Samlet set har det seneste tiår for islamforskningen og for islamiske studier på Københavns Universitet været produktive, men omskiftelige og brogede. Siden Muhammedkrisens klimaks i begyndelsen af 2006 til nu har islamforskningen på... more
Samlet set har det seneste tiår for islamforskningen og for islamiske studier på Københavns Universitet været produktive, men omskiftelige og brogede. Siden Muhammedkrisens klimaks i begyndelsen af 2006 til nu har islamforskningen på Københavns Universitet set en betydelig opnormering af forskningsindsatsen. Det har været i form af den store islamsatsning, som Københavns Universitet var vært for fra 2008 til 2013, men også nye stærke centre og bevillinger gør, at islamforskningen fortsat er i fokus. Sammen med forskningen følger en internationalt rost, men hårdt dimensioneret kandidatuddannelse i islamiske studier, der markerer nye udfordringer for faget – ligesom mange andre af universitetets fag, der har været igennem lignende dimensioneringer, oplever det. [...] Dette essay er skrevet på opfordring fra TIFOs redaktion for at give et indblik i islamforskningen og islamiske studier på Københavns Universitet. Essayet omfatter selvfølgelig ikke alt forskning med relation til islam, men er et produkt af undertegnedes syns- og interessefelt. Udgangspunktet er derfor universitetets store islamsatsning, hvis virke og ambition skitseres, men også en håndfuld andre vigtige forskningsprojekter og -dagsordener trækkes frem, da de er med til at tegne den eksisterende islamforskning og giver et indblik i, hvor islamforskningen på KU bevæger sig hen.
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Against the backdrop of a well-regulated and pragmatic Danish labour market, the question of reasonable accommodation is discussed on the basis of current legislation, recent legal cases and substantial interview material drawn from the... more
Against the backdrop of a well-regulated and pragmatic Danish labour market, the question of reasonable accommodation is discussed on the basis of current legislation, recent legal cases and substantial interview material drawn from the RELIGARE socio-legal research done in Denmark. Employees of religious faith have made religious claims and thereby challenged a secular understanding of the Danish labour market. This raises the question of the extent to which the religion of the individual can be accepted in the general public sphere. At the same time, religious ethos organisations have argued for the protection of their organizational identity and sought to employ and dismiss personnel according to the norms of the religious ethos, raising the question of how far ‘reasonable accommodation’ extends. Both the individual and the collective cluster cases ultimately raise questions concerning where to draw the line between accommodating religion and restricting freedom on the basis of professionalism, job functions or other reasons. On the basis of empirical findings, this article concludes that the pragmatic approach is supporting a renewed religious identity of faith-based organisations, but also warns against hijacking rights of individual employees.
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I sit forhold til stat og samfund, står organiseret islam i Danmark overfor en række grundlæggende religionsorganisatoriske udfordringer.
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I Danmark er kirken både bygningen nede ved kæret og det sted, Gud har givet os. Noget lignende kan siges om moskéernes rolle i Islam, men moskéerne er samtidig så meget andet end et bedested.
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This topical edited volume contains the national reports of the EU Member States and the Union itself on Islam and Human Rights, written by Members or collaborators of the 'European Consortium for Church and State Research', as well as... more
This topical edited volume contains the national reports of the EU Member States and the Union itself on Islam and Human Rights, written by Members or collaborators of the 'European Consortium for Church and State Research', as well as papers presented in the latter's Annual Meeting, which took place in Thessaloniki, in September 2021. The reports raise questions regarding the social framework and the institutional recognition of the Muslim communities by the state, the application of Sharia (both as state law and / or private international law) and its relationship to fundamental rights and human dignity, and the discrimination of Muslims and by Muslims. Moreover, the reports focus on the exercise of religious freedom by Muslim and the challenges posed by Islam in the traditional understanding and application of democracy and rights in Europe.
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This chapter investigates the question of discrimination of Muslims in the Danish context. This is considered across the branches of government, looking at political discourse and legislation, at ministerial administration and at the... more
This chapter investigates the question of discrimination of Muslims in the Danish context. This is considered across the branches of government, looking at political discourse and legislation, at ministerial administration and at the judiciary and quasi-judicial rulings. While both freedom of speech and freedom of religion are constitutionally guaranteed, and non-discrimination is protected across the branches of government, the current state of discourse on Muslims has the adverse effect of legitimising, condoning or even promoting discrimination of Muslims in Denmark. Analysing concrete cases across five major themes in discrimination against Muslims, the chapter finds a worrying tendency to explicitly legitimize and even normalize discrimination. National and international reports, studies and other sources all point to the particularly harsh and alienating discourse and debate on Muslims. Not only is discrimination against Muslims a challenge across all three branches of Danish government, but the perception of discrimination is particularly pertinent and little seems to be done by government to limit this. There is a political readiness and willingness to discriminate and to violate some of the foundational principles of both the constitution and Denmark’s international commitments, and government misses a number of important opportunities to right divisive wrongs in Danish society.
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This chapter presents the historical background and current organisation of religion in the Danish penitentiary system from a legal and sociological perspective. The role and presence of religion in prison were not much discussed until... more
This chapter presents the historical background and current organisation of religion in the Danish penitentiary system from a legal and sociological perspective. The role and presence of religion in prison were not much discussed until 2006, when the Prison and Probation Service published its first report on religion in prisons. Nevertheless, the Lutheran prison chaplain has been a natural part of the Danish prison system since the establishment of the modern prison in the nineteenth century. Following this historical background, the regulation of religion in prison is presented to show the national and international legal framework regulating the work of chaplains and religious practices of inmates. The Prison and Probation Service produces much information and many statistics on prison life, but not related to religion. The final section presents empirical studies of religion among inmates, showing, for instance, that the proportion of Muslim inmates was the same in 2006 and 2017. Although the proportion was around 20% there are very few Muslim chaplains in prison, and they are a relatively recent addition to Lutheran chaplains from the majority church. The last section examines the majority church chaplains, and shows that they take it upon themselves to cater to the needs of all inmates. Although imams remain contested in the wider society, The Prison and Probation Service welcomes Muslim Chaplaincy (after thorough vetting) because they can oppose potential radicalisation and provide pastoral care to the inmates.
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Churches as essential components of European culture have major significance for European integration. A Europe, bound by common constitutional traditions, cultures and traditions of its Member States, their national identity and the... more
Churches as essential components of European culture have major significance for European integration. A Europe, bound by common constitutional traditions, cultures and traditions of its Member States, their national identity and the principle of subsidiarity, will have to respect the deep-rooted systems of State and Church relationships in its Member States.
The volume presents in its third edition a broad comparison of different systems of State and Church relationships in the Member States of the European Union. It includes the new Member States and gives an account of the new developments throughout Europe. The volume shows the implications of European integration on the position of the Churches. It is of interest to all working in the field of State-Church relationship as well as to public and church institutions.
For Denmark, membership of the Church of Denmark is decreasing due to immigration, increasing religious diversity and growth in atheist sentiments. At the same time, there is a small increase in new baptisms. This reflects an increasingly polarised attitude towards religion, in general, and the Church of Denmark, in particular.
With increasing immigration in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first, Denmark has a growing number of different religious denominations and faith communities. While it is illegal to register information on religious conviction or affiliation, demographers of religion estimate that about 5.3 % of the population, or about 300,000, are Muslim, either nominally or practising. The second significant religious minority is the Catholic Church in Denmark, which had 47,600 members as of 2017, up more than 25% since 2008. This is mainly due to immigration, most significantly from Poland and other European countries.
The volume presents in its third edition a broad comparison of different systems of State and Church relationships in the Member States of the European Union. It includes the new Member States and gives an account of the new developments throughout Europe. The volume shows the implications of European integration on the position of the Churches. It is of interest to all working in the field of State-Church relationship as well as to public and church institutions.
For Denmark, membership of the Church of Denmark is decreasing due to immigration, increasing religious diversity and growth in atheist sentiments. At the same time, there is a small increase in new baptisms. This reflects an increasingly polarised attitude towards religion, in general, and the Church of Denmark, in particular.
With increasing immigration in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first, Denmark has a growing number of different religious denominations and faith communities. While it is illegal to register information on religious conviction or affiliation, demographers of religion estimate that about 5.3 % of the population, or about 300,000, are Muslim, either nominally or practising. The second significant religious minority is the Catholic Church in Denmark, which had 47,600 members as of 2017, up more than 25% since 2008. This is mainly due to immigration, most significantly from Poland and other European countries.
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This chapter of "Exploring the Multitude of Muslims in Europe. Essays in Honour of Jørgen S. Nielsen" (Brill 2018) explores the concept of churchification in relation to Islam in Europe. The first part of the chapter surveys the word, the... more
This chapter of "Exploring the Multitude of Muslims in Europe. Essays in Honour of Jørgen S. Nielsen" (Brill 2018) explores the concept of churchification in relation to Islam in Europe. The first part of the chapter surveys the word, the phenomenon it describes and different observations of this phenomenon across a number of European contexts and by a choice of European scholars on Islam in Europe. After the initial observations and conceptualisations of churchification, follows a process of analytical distinction into four closely related but distinguishable logics of churchification. Firstly, churchification is understood as pedagogical, analogical or rhetorical usages comparing mosques to churches, or imams to priests, and so on. Secondly, churchification as normativisation is identified that maintains that mosques should or ought to function like the churches, imams should act like priests, and that for a number of politically or ideologically motivated reasons. Thirdly, churchification can be identified in terms of structural and implicit hegemony emanating from the established paradigms of church and state relations, or from the churches themselves. Here, the sheer power of the churches in Europe makes it almost impossible to avoid an influence on Islam. Fourthly and finally, churchification can be seen as a deliberate neo-institutionalist isomorphic strategy – or counter-strategy – where Muslim organisations and institutions deliberately model themselves on the church either because they are structurally forced to do so or because doing so is smart and cost-efficient. Equally, there are Muslim organisations and communities who move in the opposite direct, exactly because they want to distance and distinguish themselves from European churches. This often proves to be a more difficult strategy, but research shows that institutionalisation might not yield the hoped outcome of resource mobilisation, acceptance or recognition.
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The Danish religious landscape has been significantly transformed, especially during the last three decades. This transformation is marked by the shift from near religious hegemony towards a much more diverse religious population.... more
The Danish religious landscape has been significantly transformed, especially during the last three decades. This transformation is marked by the shift from near religious hegemony towards a much more diverse religious population. Originally, the Danish Lutheran state church was closely intertwined with the governmental administration of the country after the reformation in Denmark of 1536 and the peace at Westphalia in 1648.
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Trossamfund i Danmark, der vælger at søge om godkendelse og bemyndigelse til at forvalte ægteskab, skal vurderes af Det Rådgivende Udvalg vedr. Trossamfund under Ankestyrelsen. Udvalget arbejder efter en række formelle og indholdsmæssige... more
Trossamfund i Danmark, der vælger at søge om godkendelse og bemyndigelse til at forvalte ægteskab, skal vurderes af Det Rådgivende Udvalg vedr. Trossamfund under Ankestyrelsen. Udvalget arbejder efter en række formelle og indholdsmæssige krav og kriterier, der evaluerer trossamfundenes religionsbegreb, organisationsforhold og demokratiske praksis. Denne artikel undersøger udvalgets retningslinjer og den implicitte vægtning af værdier, som folkekirken og de afvigende trossamfund indgår i. Generelt kritiseres den ministerielle godkendelsespraksis for at støde minoritetsforkyndere væk fra staten og for at risikere diskrimination ved at trække grænser i det religiøse landskab. Artiklen diskuterer, hvilke værdier, der kan gøres til genstand for interkulturel evaluering og ser folkekirkelighed som fælles værdi og fremtidig ressource.
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The thesis studies the specific problems that Muslim organisations struggle with as they navigate and position themselves amongst the churches, the state institutions and the many other relevant organisational actors in the... more
The thesis studies the specific problems that Muslim organisations struggle with as they navigate and position themselves amongst the churches, the state institutions and the many other relevant organisational actors in the religio-organisational fields in Denmark, Germany and England.
In framing an analytical focus on the relations and environment of Muslim organisations, the thesis applies the concepts of field, doxa, capital, norms and symbolic power as theorised by Pierre Bourdieu and others. The thesis proposes the idea of the religio-organisational field as a construct informed by the spheres of religious life and of organised, institutional logics. The religio-organisational field frames the struggle for the positions of power, recognition and capital available in the structural relations of the field.
In this context, the thesis seeks to identify what Muslim organisations stand to win and loose in the pursuit of the stronger positions in the field. Also, the thesis questions how the Muslim organisation impacts and changes the existing institutions and organisations. This is done by investigating the structural norms, technologies, tactics and powers of dominations and subjection as applied by both the Muslim organisations and the governing institutions in the field.
A core assumption of the thesis is that since the introduction of Islam and Muslim organisations into the European context, Islam has been a catalyst or occasion for significant changes in the balances of power amongst states and churches.
This is investigated further by looking at the history of regulating religion, which is the structural context in which Muslim organisations must navigate and position themselves. Not only the history of churches and states is revealing, but also the specific laws and norms that frame and structure the possible field of action of Muslims are of relevance.
Within this normative and historical context, a case from each of the three countries is analysed and discussed in depth.
In Danmark, the focus is on Muslim organisations who seek recognition and approval to perform marriages with civil validity. The analysis goes into significant detail about the ministrial practices and procedures as managed by the Advisory Committee on Religious Denominations. The Bourdieuian perspective applied here is on the construction and maintenance of fundamental dividers in the religio-organisational field and the strict scrutiny to which Muslim organisations are submitted.
Next, the focus is on the German Islam Conference. This analysis looks at the struggle between the German government and the Muslim organisations who are trying to position themselves as eligible and respectable partners in the religio-organisational field. The Bourdieuian perspective applied here is on the generative structuration that transforms ‘Muslims in Germany’ to ‘German Muslims’ by analogy to the Christian institutions.
In the English case the focus is on the Shari’a councils and their position between the Muslim communities and the wider English society. The Shari’a councils are locked in a tricky game of managing expectations from both these sides. They have the difficult task of stewardship of the Islamic norms embedded in Shari’a, which is challenged in a modern context. The Bourdieuian perspective is on the symbolic resignification and reproduction of Shari’a norms as these become new resources for Muslims in the religio-organisational field.
The thesis concludes on the overall guiding questions and outlines the most important perspectives from the analyses of the religio-organisational fields. This is done by looking specifically at what Muslim organisations, on one hand, and state and governments, on the other, stand to win and loose in the struggles of the field. The conclusion, furthermore, summarises the most important and critical insights into the impositions of division in the religio-organisational field and into the Muslim positions taken in response to these impositions.
In framing an analytical focus on the relations and environment of Muslim organisations, the thesis applies the concepts of field, doxa, capital, norms and symbolic power as theorised by Pierre Bourdieu and others. The thesis proposes the idea of the religio-organisational field as a construct informed by the spheres of religious life and of organised, institutional logics. The religio-organisational field frames the struggle for the positions of power, recognition and capital available in the structural relations of the field.
In this context, the thesis seeks to identify what Muslim organisations stand to win and loose in the pursuit of the stronger positions in the field. Also, the thesis questions how the Muslim organisation impacts and changes the existing institutions and organisations. This is done by investigating the structural norms, technologies, tactics and powers of dominations and subjection as applied by both the Muslim organisations and the governing institutions in the field.
A core assumption of the thesis is that since the introduction of Islam and Muslim organisations into the European context, Islam has been a catalyst or occasion for significant changes in the balances of power amongst states and churches.
This is investigated further by looking at the history of regulating religion, which is the structural context in which Muslim organisations must navigate and position themselves. Not only the history of churches and states is revealing, but also the specific laws and norms that frame and structure the possible field of action of Muslims are of relevance.
Within this normative and historical context, a case from each of the three countries is analysed and discussed in depth.
In Danmark, the focus is on Muslim organisations who seek recognition and approval to perform marriages with civil validity. The analysis goes into significant detail about the ministrial practices and procedures as managed by the Advisory Committee on Religious Denominations. The Bourdieuian perspective applied here is on the construction and maintenance of fundamental dividers in the religio-organisational field and the strict scrutiny to which Muslim organisations are submitted.
Next, the focus is on the German Islam Conference. This analysis looks at the struggle between the German government and the Muslim organisations who are trying to position themselves as eligible and respectable partners in the religio-organisational field. The Bourdieuian perspective applied here is on the generative structuration that transforms ‘Muslims in Germany’ to ‘German Muslims’ by analogy to the Christian institutions.
In the English case the focus is on the Shari’a councils and their position between the Muslim communities and the wider English society. The Shari’a councils are locked in a tricky game of managing expectations from both these sides. They have the difficult task of stewardship of the Islamic norms embedded in Shari’a, which is challenged in a modern context. The Bourdieuian perspective is on the symbolic resignification and reproduction of Shari’a norms as these become new resources for Muslims in the religio-organisational field.
The thesis concludes on the overall guiding questions and outlines the most important perspectives from the analyses of the religio-organisational fields. This is done by looking specifically at what Muslim organisations, on one hand, and state and governments, on the other, stand to win and loose in the struggles of the field. The conclusion, furthermore, summarises the most important and critical insights into the impositions of division in the religio-organisational field and into the Muslim positions taken in response to these impositions.
Research Interests: Religion, German Studies, Philosophy Of Religion, Islam in Europe, Muslim Minorities, and 10 morePierre Bourdieu, Muslims in Europe, Islam, Muslim-Christian Relation, Religious Organisations, Denmark, Twelfth-century England, Church and State, Relations between Church and State, and Muslim organisations
Inspired by the symbolic interpretative and relational philosophy of religion, represented by amongst others Peter L. Berger, Clifford Geertz and Pierre Bourdieu, I investigate the religious organizational field in three comparative case... more
Inspired by the symbolic interpretative and relational philosophy of religion, represented by amongst others Peter L. Berger, Clifford Geertz and Pierre Bourdieu, I investigate the religious organizational field in three comparative case studies, from Denmark, Germany and England.
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In a quest for the religio-organisational field, I review the existing models of church and state relations before discussing the problems with creating models in the first place. Models need both requisite variety and to factor a... more
In a quest for the religio-organisational field, I review the existing models of church and state relations before discussing the problems with creating models in the first place. Models need both requisite variety and to factor a structuring power. To explain this, I look at three country cases, namely Denmark, Germany and Britian, and discuss Danish registration and approval of religious organisations, the German Islam Conference and the alternative dispute resolution institutions of Muslims in the UK.
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Hvad sker der, når medierne sætter dagsorden? Denne antologi viser, hvordan mediedækning kan få både positive og negative konsekvenser. På baggrund af konkrete mediehistorier, som har sat tydelige aftryk på samfundsudviklingen, analyseres... more
Hvad sker der, når medierne sætter dagsorden? Denne antologi viser, hvordan mediedækning kan få både positive og negative konsekvenser.
På baggrund af konkrete mediehistorier, som har sat tydelige aftryk på samfundsudviklingen, analyseres mediernes forvaltning af deres muligheder for at sætte dagsordenen og de særlige medieetiske problemstillinger, der kan opstå i et demokratisk samfund med respekt for ytringsfrihed.
Bogen undersøger de samfundsmæssige konsekvenser af eksempelvis tv-dokumentarserien Moskeerne bag sløret, De vaccinerede piger, sagerne om Gyllegate, Ventetidssagen og dækningen efter terrorangrebene i København i februar 2015. Ligeledes undersøges mediernes prioritering af finansstoffet for sager såsom afsløringen af hvidvask i Danske Banks estiske afdeling.
På den baggrund rejser bogens bidragsydere spørgsmål om sammenhængen mellem mediernes dækning og miljø-, sundheds-, finans- og integrationspolitikken.
Hvilke konsekvenser har det, når medierne i særlig grad fokuserer på negative og sensationelle sider af de historier, de dækker? Hvilken betydning for demokratisk holdningsdannelse har den udbredte journalistiske anvendelse af enkelthistorier og cases, såsom eksempelvis »Dovne Robert«?
Er mediernes negative fokus på etniske minoriteter med til at skabe etniske misforståelser hos befolkningen? Hvad sker der, når medierne selv sættes på dagsordenen og omtales som ”fake news”? Hvad betyder det for mediernes indhold og position, at de i stigende grad må konkurrere med sociale medier og kendisser om medieforbrugernes opmærksomhed?
Bogen giver et forskningsbaseret bidrag til en faglig debat om mediernes dagsordensættende rolle og om, hvorvidt der bør stilles særlige presseetiske krav til journalistik, som har et dagsordensættende formål eller potentiale.
På baggrund af konkrete mediehistorier, som har sat tydelige aftryk på samfundsudviklingen, analyseres mediernes forvaltning af deres muligheder for at sætte dagsordenen og de særlige medieetiske problemstillinger, der kan opstå i et demokratisk samfund med respekt for ytringsfrihed.
Bogen undersøger de samfundsmæssige konsekvenser af eksempelvis tv-dokumentarserien Moskeerne bag sløret, De vaccinerede piger, sagerne om Gyllegate, Ventetidssagen og dækningen efter terrorangrebene i København i februar 2015. Ligeledes undersøges mediernes prioritering af finansstoffet for sager såsom afsløringen af hvidvask i Danske Banks estiske afdeling.
På den baggrund rejser bogens bidragsydere spørgsmål om sammenhængen mellem mediernes dækning og miljø-, sundheds-, finans- og integrationspolitikken.
Hvilke konsekvenser har det, når medierne i særlig grad fokuserer på negative og sensationelle sider af de historier, de dækker? Hvilken betydning for demokratisk holdningsdannelse har den udbredte journalistiske anvendelse af enkelthistorier og cases, såsom eksempelvis »Dovne Robert«?
Er mediernes negative fokus på etniske minoriteter med til at skabe etniske misforståelser hos befolkningen? Hvad sker der, når medierne selv sættes på dagsordenen og omtales som ”fake news”? Hvad betyder det for mediernes indhold og position, at de i stigende grad må konkurrere med sociale medier og kendisser om medieforbrugernes opmærksomhed?
Bogen giver et forskningsbaseret bidrag til en faglig debat om mediernes dagsordensættende rolle og om, hvorvidt der bør stilles særlige presseetiske krav til journalistik, som har et dagsordensættende formål eller potentiale.
Research Interests:
Interessen for islam og sharia har aldrig været større end i dag, og ikke mindst inden for mange velfærdsprofessioner er der et behov for klar og let tilgængelig viden på området. Sharia og samfund fokuserer på, hvordan sharia reelt... more
Interessen for islam og sharia har aldrig været større end i dag, og ikke mindst inden for mange velfærdsprofessioner er der et behov for klar og let tilgængelig viden på området.
Sharia og samfund fokuserer på, hvordan sharia reelt praktiseres i Danmark, og gør læseren i stand til at forstå sharia i relation til nutidens samfundsudfordringer. Efter en kort indføring i sharia giver bogen en grundig gennemgang af shariapraksis i Danmark, illustreret med hyppige nedslag i forfatternes forskning med henblik på at gøre nutidens problemstillinger levende og konkrete.
Sharia og samfund er skrevet til den læser, som ønsker mere viden om et af tidens vigtige emner - og ikke mindst til de mange fagprofessionelle, som møder shariarelaterede problemstillinger i deres arbejde. Denne bog gør læseren i stand til at bringe egen faglighed i spil, når shariarelaterede problemer skal løses.
Sharia og samfund fokuserer på, hvordan sharia reelt praktiseres i Danmark, og gør læseren i stand til at forstå sharia i relation til nutidens samfundsudfordringer. Efter en kort indføring i sharia giver bogen en grundig gennemgang af shariapraksis i Danmark, illustreret med hyppige nedslag i forfatternes forskning med henblik på at gøre nutidens problemstillinger levende og konkrete.
Sharia og samfund er skrevet til den læser, som ønsker mere viden om et af tidens vigtige emner - og ikke mindst til de mange fagprofessionelle, som møder shariarelaterede problemstillinger i deres arbejde. Denne bog gør læseren i stand til at bringe egen faglighed i spil, når shariarelaterede problemer skal løses.
Research Interests:
This volume of Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe covers Denmark and consists of an annotated collection of legal documents a fecting the status of Islam and Muslims. The legal texts are published in the original Danish language... more
This volume of Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe covers Denmark and consists of an annotated collection of legal documents a fecting the status of Islam and Muslims. The legal texts are published in the original Danish language while the annotations and supporting material are in English. By legal documents are meant the texts of legislation, including relevant secondary legislation, as well as signi cant court decisions. Each legal text is preceded by an introduction describing the historical, political and legal circumstances of its adoption, plus a short paragraph summarising its content. The focus of the collection is on the religious dimensions of being Muslim in Europe, i.e. on individuals' access to practise their religious obligations and on the ability to organise and manifest their religious life.
Research Interests:
Today, the AIWG publishes an International Report on the ‘Education and Training of Muslim Religious Professionals in Europe and North America’. It ties on the intensive expert discussions within the framework of two international... more
Today, the AIWG publishes an International Report on the ‘Education and Training of Muslim Religious Professionals in Europe and North America’. It ties on the intensive expert discussions within the framework of two international conferences with actors mainly from state institutions, religious communities and universities.
This exploratory report identifies commonalities and differences in the approaches to the education and training of Muslim religious personnel, highlights examples of best practice models und thus, stimulates a constructive discussion reaching beyond national and institutional borders. Eleven country correspondents contributed to this publication, edited and written by Dr Niels Valdemar Vinding and Dr Raida Chbib.
Based on their reports and comparative presentation of examples from different nations, it provides general recommendations for a better and more sustainable development of education and training of Muslim religious professionals in Europe and North America:
In the relationship between the State and Muslim communities, dialogue councils are important. They should be established or improved where necessary, so that relevant stakeholders can discuss issues and exchange experiences and views on eye level.
Possibilities for a better employment situation and remuneration of Muslim religious personnel in public institutions and faith communities should be explored.
In order to prepare Muslim religious personnel for their diverse fields of activity, training programmes should combine theological studies on the level of higher education with additionally required specialisation.
Creating networks, as well as active cross-country exchange specifically for Imams or chaplains in Europe and North America.
Transnational cooperation of scholars i.a. in joint initiatives should be continued and intensified in the
The exploratory report and its findings are presented and discussed at an international workshop in Frankfurt in December 2020. You can download the International Report here.
This publication has been jointly funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
This exploratory report identifies commonalities and differences in the approaches to the education and training of Muslim religious personnel, highlights examples of best practice models und thus, stimulates a constructive discussion reaching beyond national and institutional borders. Eleven country correspondents contributed to this publication, edited and written by Dr Niels Valdemar Vinding and Dr Raida Chbib.
Based on their reports and comparative presentation of examples from different nations, it provides general recommendations for a better and more sustainable development of education and training of Muslim religious professionals in Europe and North America:
In the relationship between the State and Muslim communities, dialogue councils are important. They should be established or improved where necessary, so that relevant stakeholders can discuss issues and exchange experiences and views on eye level.
Possibilities for a better employment situation and remuneration of Muslim religious personnel in public institutions and faith communities should be explored.
In order to prepare Muslim religious personnel for their diverse fields of activity, training programmes should combine theological studies on the level of higher education with additionally required specialisation.
Creating networks, as well as active cross-country exchange specifically for Imams or chaplains in Europe and North America.
Transnational cooperation of scholars i.a. in joint initiatives should be continued and intensified in the
The exploratory report and its findings are presented and discussed at an international workshop in Frankfurt in December 2020. You can download the International Report here.
This publication has been jointly funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Research Interests:
This book presents an omnibus academic inquiry into contemporary Islamic religious authority with a focus on imams and the imamate – on which, until now, not much has been written in English. Our ambition is to contribute deeper and more... more
This book presents an omnibus academic inquiry into contemporary Islamic religious authority with a focus on imams and the imamate – on which, until now, not much has been written in English. Our ambition is to contribute deeper and more fruitful analyses of the changes and challenges experienced by this source of religious authority in the context of the secular-liberal societies of Western Europe since the Second World War and the subsequent migration and refugee flows. At the same time, this research also serves to highlight secular-liberal institutions and their adaptation, or lack thereof, to the multiculturalism that characterizes Western European states. The social facts of globalization, transnational migration, and various interpretations of secularism have challenged the visibility of religion in the public sphere in Western societies. This has most importantly and urgently required religious authorities to revisit their organization, governance, and internal hierarchy, and Islamic religious authority is no exception.
Research Interests:
In Exploring the Multitude of Muslims in Europe a number of friends and colleagues of Jørgen S. Nielsen have joined together to celebrate his life and work by reflecting his more than forty years of scholarly contributions to the study of... more
In Exploring the Multitude of Muslims in Europe a number of friends and colleagues of Jørgen S. Nielsen have joined together to celebrate his life and work by reflecting his more than forty years of scholarly contributions to the study of Islam and Muslims in Europe. The fourteen articles move through conceptualisations, productions and explorations of the multitudes of Muslims in Europe, and the authors draw on Jørgen S. Nielsen’s own work on the history and challenges of the Muslim community in Europe, critical thinking, ethnicities and theologies of Muslims in Europe, Muslim minorities, Muslim-Christian relations, and on Islamic legal challenges in Europe.
Contributors are: Samim Akgönül, Ahmet Alibašić, Naveed Baig, Safet Bektovic, Mohammed Hashas, Thomas Hoffmann, Hans Raun Iversen, Göran Larsson, Werner Menski, Egdūnas Račius, Lissi Rasmussen, Mathias Rohe, Emil B. H. Saggau, Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, Thijl Sunier, and Niels Valdemar Vinding.
Contributors are: Samim Akgönül, Ahmet Alibašić, Naveed Baig, Safet Bektovic, Mohammed Hashas, Thomas Hoffmann, Hans Raun Iversen, Göran Larsson, Werner Menski, Egdūnas Račius, Lissi Rasmussen, Mathias Rohe, Emil B. H. Saggau, Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, Thijl Sunier, and Niels Valdemar Vinding.
Research Interests:
"European secular social models are challenged in new ways by religions. Also in Denmark, religion and religious symbols occupy an increasing amount of space in the public sphere, tempting people to relate to religion in a more personal... more
"European secular social models are challenged in new ways by religions. Also in Denmark, religion and religious symbols occupy an increasing amount of space in the public sphere, tempting people to relate to religion in a more personal way. Those are the findings of a new report published today by the Centre for European Islamic Thought at the University of Copenhagen.
Ramadan dinners in the Danish Parliament, staff parties without either pork or alcohol and prayer rooms at the airport are all examples of how religion is becoming more visible in public spaces.
“Prior to the mass migration of the '60s, '70s and '80s, almost all Danes shared similar values and were members of the national Christian church, so religion was not an issue in everyday life. There was no need to discuss neither one’s own nor another person’s religious viewpoint, and secularisation was a matter of course. Today, it is difficult to be in a public place, read the newspaper, or go to school or work without encountering religious expressions and symbols,” says Niels Valdemar Vinding, a PhD student from the Centre for European Islamic Thought at University of Copenhagen and co-author of a recently published report from the European research project RELIGARE that examines religious diversity and secular models in Europe.
Secularism under pressure
“Everywhere in Europe it is clear that the concept of secularism, where religion remains a private matter, is under pressure. Everything suggests that in the future religious organisations will have more influence on schools, workplaces and the media. This means that both private and public institutions will be dealing with religion more often,” explains Vinding.
The report is one of six national reports examining the nexus between secularism and religion in a specific European country. The reports are based on interviews with a variety of religious, secular and political leaders. The reports are key contributions to the research project RELIGARE, which brings together university researchers from ten different European countries.
A contradictory relationship
The picture the report portrays of the typical Dane’s reaction to the tension between secularism and religion is a bit blurry. On the one hand, Danes cherish diversity, support the idea of having room for all and believe in giving each individual the freedom to follow their own faith and convictions. On the other hand, many would like a high degree of legal regulation when it comes to those forms of religion and religious expression that seem strange or different. An example of such regulation was seen in the amendment of the Judicial Code of 2009, which forbade judges and lay judges from wearing headscarves in courtrooms.
“It is not a case of two opposite sides of opinion, it is rather a an overlap of opinions,” says Vinding. “People support personal freedom and religiosity, but not at any price. Some Danes can be perfectly comfortable with a morning hymn being sung in school, and at the same time have a problem with halal meat being served in institutional meals without seeing a clear picture of the contradiction or sense of injustice.”
Ramadan dinners in the Danish Parliament, staff parties without either pork or alcohol and prayer rooms at the airport are all examples of how religion is becoming more visible in public spaces.
“Prior to the mass migration of the '60s, '70s and '80s, almost all Danes shared similar values and were members of the national Christian church, so religion was not an issue in everyday life. There was no need to discuss neither one’s own nor another person’s religious viewpoint, and secularisation was a matter of course. Today, it is difficult to be in a public place, read the newspaper, or go to school or work without encountering religious expressions and symbols,” says Niels Valdemar Vinding, a PhD student from the Centre for European Islamic Thought at University of Copenhagen and co-author of a recently published report from the European research project RELIGARE that examines religious diversity and secular models in Europe.
Secularism under pressure
“Everywhere in Europe it is clear that the concept of secularism, where religion remains a private matter, is under pressure. Everything suggests that in the future religious organisations will have more influence on schools, workplaces and the media. This means that both private and public institutions will be dealing with religion more often,” explains Vinding.
The report is one of six national reports examining the nexus between secularism and religion in a specific European country. The reports are based on interviews with a variety of religious, secular and political leaders. The reports are key contributions to the research project RELIGARE, which brings together university researchers from ten different European countries.
A contradictory relationship
The picture the report portrays of the typical Dane’s reaction to the tension between secularism and religion is a bit blurry. On the one hand, Danes cherish diversity, support the idea of having room for all and believe in giving each individual the freedom to follow their own faith and convictions. On the other hand, many would like a high degree of legal regulation when it comes to those forms of religion and religious expression that seem strange or different. An example of such regulation was seen in the amendment of the Judicial Code of 2009, which forbade judges and lay judges from wearing headscarves in courtrooms.
“It is not a case of two opposite sides of opinion, it is rather a an overlap of opinions,” says Vinding. “People support personal freedom and religiosity, but not at any price. Some Danes can be perfectly comfortable with a morning hymn being sung in school, and at the same time have a problem with halal meat being served in institutional meals without seeing a clear picture of the contradiction or sense of injustice.”
Research Interests:
In spring 2018 a publication edited by Mohammed Hashas, Niels Valdemar Vinding and myself will appear with Amsterdam University Press. It is called 'Imams in Western Europe. Developments, Transformations and Institutional Challenges'. It... more
In spring 2018 a publication edited by Mohammed Hashas, Niels Valdemar Vinding and myself will appear with Amsterdam University Press. It is called 'Imams in Western Europe. Developments, Transformations and Institutional Challenges'. It contains more than 20 chapters describing the position and role of imams in Western Europe from different -theoretical- perspectives and it includes several chapters with case studies on France, Spain, Finland, the United Kingdom and other countries. It treats as well chapters on the institutionalisation of Islam in Western Europe. The book can be ordered from this link: http://en.aup.nl
Research Interests:
Julian Rivers, professor of Jurisprudence at University of Bristol, sets out to a thorough systematic review of English law of organized religions. He does this through by arguing for the past, current and future conditions of legal... more
Julian Rivers, professor of Jurisprudence at University of Bristol, sets out to a thorough systematic review of English law of organized religions. He does this through by arguing for the past, current and future conditions of legal protection of collective spiritual life in England on the basis of his legal observations in legislation coupled with a very extensive use of more than five hundred relevant cases from all over the world. His primary concern in the book is to give an account of the development of legal doctrine, and methodologically he does this by establishing the historical foundation, comparing to relevant law and then extracting and discussion the systematic implications. His insight in comparatively relevant law from all over the world is waste, but his returning focus is the interplay between law of the European institutions and the domestic English law as this is the crux that frames the contemporary challenges and problems faced by organized religions in England.
Research Interests: Christianity, Jurisprudence, Canon Law, Epistemology, Theology, and 15 moreNatural Law, Law and Religion, History of Religions, Thomism, Islam, Secularisms and Secularities, Islamism, Interfaith Dialogue, Church of England, Religious Liberty, Ecclesiastical Law, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ecclesiastical Public Law, Contemporary Islamic Movement, and Contemporary Christian Theology
Ingvill Thorson Plesner of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the University of Oslo has written a fine book on religion and politics in Norway, which is timely, substantial and a pleasure to read for people both inside and outside... more
Ingvill Thorson Plesner of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the University of Oslo has written a fine book on religion and politics in Norway, which is timely, substantial and a pleasure to read for people both inside and outside the field. This Norwegian language book sets out to describe, analyse and discuss the politics of religion and worldviews that Norway currently has and should have in the future, and how the Norwegian state should act in order to be as conducive as possible to this. Norwegian politicians have sought to bring about a coherent policy, and Thorson Plesner rises to the challenge to qualify, both legally and interdisciplinarily, the issues that a thoroughly thought out, coherent, principally sound and well-balanced policy must address.
Research Interests:
‘Imams of the West’ proposes a qualitative sociological interview study of between 50 and 60 imams in Europe, Australia and North America (‘the West’) in order to document how the Islamic religious institution of the imam changes in the... more
‘Imams of the West’ proposes a qualitative sociological interview study of between 50 and 60 imams in Europe, Australia and North America (‘the West’) in order to document how the Islamic religious institution of the imam changes in the challenging encounter with a global, multicultural and post-migration ‘Western’ world.
Research Interests:
Britain has been a multicultural nation for the better part of the past century, but multiculturalism has only manifested itself as a political phenomenon roughly since the Rushdie affair. Multiculturalism did not emerge as a proactive... more
Britain has been a multicultural nation for the better part of the past century, but multiculturalism has only manifested itself as a political phenomenon roughly since the Rushdie affair. Multiculturalism did not emerge as a proactive political initiative, but became a strategy for solving the problems ushered in by the multicultural society. Specifically, the challenges arose following the recent history immigration and emerged as discrimination, hate speech, reaffirmed religious identities, terrorism and radicalism. These challenges and politics of British multiculturalism have been studied first most by Joppke (1998, 1999), Modood (1994, 2005) and Parekh (2000, 2006, 2008), and in light of their research, this paper attempts to understand the British multiculturalism as an expression of governmentality applying the theories of Michel Foucault and others (Dean 1999, Rose & Miller 1992) on the art of government. From this ambition follows a series of provisional questions. Can multiculturalism be conceptualised as the raison d'État? Are the ideas of 'differentiated citizenship' (Kymlicka 1995) or 'intercultural evaluation' (Parekh 2000) so integral to the British society that they can be understood as the guiding principles of the modern British state? Is a multicultural politics, as applied by the British government, the better strategy for solving the problems and reaffirming its position as the immediately apparent governing institution of society?
Research Interests:
The social facts of globalization, transnational migration and the various interpretations of secularism have challenged the visibility of religion in the public sphere in “Western” societies. This has most importantly and urgently... more
The social facts of globalization, transnational migration and the various interpretations of secularism have challenged the visibility of religion in the public sphere in “Western” societies. This has most importantly and urgently required religious authorities to revisit their organization, governance and internal hierarchy, which link believers and their community to God. Islamic religious authority is no exception. All over the Islamic world and Europe, Islamic religious authority is still struggling to negotiate its place among the institutions of the modern state. The imamate is one of the institutions that is experiencing a shift in roles and functions in society amidst these institutions.
This conference will examine the following major themes:
• Imams in Islamic scholarship: intellectual requirements and the scope of action within religious scholarly authority
• Muslim religious authority and their representative bodies in Western Europe
• The Muslim community's authority over the Imam: the social stratum
• The importation of Imams and their geographical distribution in Western Europe
• The prospects of developing "home-grown" Imams: mosques, Islamic schools, university departments of theology, and possible partnerships
• Imams' training and the job market
• Imams, politics, and the media
• Imams and civic engagement: ethics, spirituality, environment, social justice, multiculturalism, etc.
• Comparative perspectives: best practices of religious national institutions and Imam training in Western Europe
This conference will examine the following major themes:
• Imams in Islamic scholarship: intellectual requirements and the scope of action within religious scholarly authority
• Muslim religious authority and their representative bodies in Western Europe
• The Muslim community's authority over the Imam: the social stratum
• The importation of Imams and their geographical distribution in Western Europe
• The prospects of developing "home-grown" Imams: mosques, Islamic schools, university departments of theology, and possible partnerships
• Imams' training and the job market
• Imams, politics, and the media
• Imams and civic engagement: ethics, spirituality, environment, social justice, multiculturalism, etc.
• Comparative perspectives: best practices of religious national institutions and Imam training in Western Europe
Research Interests:
Paper abstracts of 300 words or expressions of interest in participation and a short CV to be submitted to Niels Valdemar Vinding, lbm993@hum.ku.dk, on April 1st 2019 at the latest. For this workshop, we invite scholars and researchers... more
Paper abstracts of 300 words or expressions of interest in participation and a short CV to be submitted to Niels Valdemar Vinding, lbm993@hum.ku.dk, on April 1st 2019 at the latest.
For this workshop, we invite scholars and researchers in the Nordic countries that work in the intersection of mosques, family and Islamic law. Mosques are widely understood as Muslim institutions in the discursivity of Islam. Similarly, Islamic law is widely defined as Islamic ethics, norms and practice. In our view and in legal terms, the biggest challenge for mosques and Muslims in the Nordic countries is building authentic and responsive legal institutions that may help Muslims in their ethnic, social and legal dilemmas and problems, where Western society seems to disappoint. There is a significant degree of experimentation and different attempts at articulating a religious legal identity and institutions amongst Muslims in the Nordic countries. This has been going on for a number of years, but now seems to be quasi-institutionalised to point where we are able to find legal documents, interview people and observe the process of legal institutionalization.
However, currently Muslim legal institutions are reaching out to governments and courts to better regulate and establish their practices to mitigate the significant risk of having their work deemed illegitimate and even illegal. The most significant legal concern by far is Muslim family law with the fear of parallel legal orders and subversive counter-normativity.
The operable questions for the workshop are; how are Muslims in mosques (and beyond) articulating their legal, ethical and normative identities? What kind of institutions are being build? How many so-called Islamic councils are there in the Nordic countries? How are they seen and used by Muslims? What kind of Islamic law and ethics issues are seen by the courts and quasi-courts in the Nordic countries, such as family matters, divorce, mediation, inherence, honour, polygamy? How do the courts and the legal systems in general approach and address these issues?
We are inviting submissions for papers as well as for participation in the workshop. We will give preference to papers to be presented during the workshop. For paper presentations, we are expecting written contributions to either an upcoming special issue of a leading journal or to a concluding anthology on Nordic Mosques in Context.
For this workshop, we invite scholars and researchers in the Nordic countries that work in the intersection of mosques, family and Islamic law. Mosques are widely understood as Muslim institutions in the discursivity of Islam. Similarly, Islamic law is widely defined as Islamic ethics, norms and practice. In our view and in legal terms, the biggest challenge for mosques and Muslims in the Nordic countries is building authentic and responsive legal institutions that may help Muslims in their ethnic, social and legal dilemmas and problems, where Western society seems to disappoint. There is a significant degree of experimentation and different attempts at articulating a religious legal identity and institutions amongst Muslims in the Nordic countries. This has been going on for a number of years, but now seems to be quasi-institutionalised to point where we are able to find legal documents, interview people and observe the process of legal institutionalization.
However, currently Muslim legal institutions are reaching out to governments and courts to better regulate and establish their practices to mitigate the significant risk of having their work deemed illegitimate and even illegal. The most significant legal concern by far is Muslim family law with the fear of parallel legal orders and subversive counter-normativity.
The operable questions for the workshop are; how are Muslims in mosques (and beyond) articulating their legal, ethical and normative identities? What kind of institutions are being build? How many so-called Islamic councils are there in the Nordic countries? How are they seen and used by Muslims? What kind of Islamic law and ethics issues are seen by the courts and quasi-courts in the Nordic countries, such as family matters, divorce, mediation, inherence, honour, polygamy? How do the courts and the legal systems in general approach and address these issues?
We are inviting submissions for papers as well as for participation in the workshop. We will give preference to papers to be presented during the workshop. For paper presentations, we are expecting written contributions to either an upcoming special issue of a leading journal or to a concluding anthology on Nordic Mosques in Context.