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"Islam in Europe"

O'Brien, Peter. (1995) "Islam in Europe". In: UNSPECIFIED, Charleston, South Carolina. (Unpublished)

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    Abstract

    Xenophobia is on the rise in Europe; and the ten million Muslims living there are often its targets. This paper contends that the fear and anxiety Westerners exhibit toward Muslims stem ultimately from a fear and anxiety regarding ourselves and our beliefs. I argue that the perceived standoff with Muslims causes us to doubt the sincerity and superiority of our own convictions. The latter are predominantly liberal in origin and orientation. Muslims' critique and rejection of European liberalism lead us to question our most revered beliefs. We respond by trying to persuade or compel Muslims to embrace our liberal principles. When they resist, we see no recourse but to exercise arbitrary power on them. But this is an act for which our liberal tenets offer no convincing justification. We sense this and with it the limits of liberalism. Hate is more important for the hater than the object of his hate. - Vaclav Havel

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    Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
    Subjects for non-EU documents: EU policies and themes > External relations > EU-Islam
    Subjects for EU documents: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Series and Periodicals: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Annual Reports: UNSPECIFIED
    Conference: European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 1995 (4th), May 11-14, 1995
    Depositing User: Phil Wilkin
    Official EU Document: No
    Language: English
    Date Deposited: 11 Apr 2007
    Page Range: p. 10
    Last Modified: 15 Feb 2011 17:45
    URI: http://aei.pitt.edu/id/eprint/7001

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