Description

This edited volume, which takes on the challenge of understanding Islam in a context built around issues related to otherness and norms, is original in three regards. First, through its trans-historical approach, in which past and present are intimately interrelated, the edited volume sheds light on contemporary phenomena through their historical roots and genesis. At the same time, past phenomena are presented from the perspective of contemporary issues. Next, several chapters embrace a trans-religious and trans-civilisational (Christian-Muslim) approach to Islam in its relations with minorities and its position as a minority in the European context. This is examined in a comparative manner with Christianity. Such a 'mirrored experience' approach enables an important contextualisation of a too-often essentialised Islam. Finally, in a multi- and inter-disciplinary perspective, the edited volume delivers a state of the art of the contribution of the diverse disciplines embracing Islam. In doing so, it highlights the most advanced knowledge of the field within the humanities and social sciences in the 21st century.