Constructing the ‘European Muslim Crisis’: Discourse, Policy, and Everyday Realities

Dear Colleagues,

The discourse surrounding religious governance and the formation of European-Muslim identity has garnered significant attention in academic circles. This theme explores the various perspectives and viewpoints related to the intersection of religion and governance, particularly within the context of European societies and the Muslim populations residing within them.

The present call for papers seeks contributions that investigate various perspectives on the governance of religion and the formation of identity within Muslim communities in Europe. We are currently in search of scholarly articles that explore the ways in which Muslims residing in Europe navigate their religious identities and engage in religious practices within the context of varying national models of secularism, church–state relations, and multiculturalism.

Subjects for discussion encompass a wide range of options without being restricted to any set, including:

• The framing of the ‘Muslim question’ as a ‘crisis’ within European discourse and its consequences for Muslim communities.
• The Muslim community’s reactions to the implementation of secular governance of Islam in Europe.
• The influence of Muslim organisations and leaders in shaping religious authority and identity.
• The examination of gender dynamics within the context of debates surrounding Islam and multiculturalism in Europe is a topic of academic interest.
• The convergence of Muslim identity with factors such as race, ethnicity, and migration experiences.
• The convergence of Muslim identity with factors such as Islamophobia and securitisation.
• The contention surrounding the issues of halal practices, hijab attire, and mosque construction as markers of identity, space, and place.
• The dynamic interaction between transnational and local influences in the process of identity formation among European Muslims.

This discourse aims to foster a scholarly examination of the prevalent portrayal of Muslim communities in Europe as being in a state of ‘crisis’. It also seeks to explore the ways in which Muslims actively and innovatively address the oversimplified and generalised representations of their identities and religious practices. We extend a warm invitation for contributions from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and methodological approaches.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarising their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editors ([email protected]) or to the Religions editorial office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review. No charge will be made for publications.

Prof. Dr. Tahir Abbas
Dr. Richard McNeil-Willson
Dr. Lianne Vostermans
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• crisis
• nationalism
• Islamophobia
• identity construction
• othering