Islam, Europe, and the Problem of Peace

This chapter considers how Islam has informed debate about secular law and secular identity in Europe. It is argued that in ways both recognized and unrecognized, the question of Islam has shaped reflections about European identity, the nature of the liberal state, and the terms of peace amidst religious pluralism. In particular, it will explore how the liberal proposition that the modern state can manage religion and religious difference through the mechanism of secular law has been complicated and, to some extent, upended. Islam, as a reified other, has served an essential role in reimagining the nature, meaning, and ends of secular order. This chapter considers the ways in which ideas about Islam and Europe have participated in a shared ongoing project of contested self-definition. It explores this dynamic with particular reference to recent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, which disclose the ways in which law is being employed to control and transform Islam and indeed the experience of being Muslim. In light of these developments, the chapter will offer conclusions on the terms and prospects of a “secular” peace within the contemporary European legal environment.