Europe recently played victim to various acts of Islamic terrorism. Multiple attacks on different targets put European countries in fear for more attacks, making some Europeans anxious about the...Show moreEurope recently played victim to various acts of Islamic terrorism. Multiple attacks on different targets put European countries in fear for more attacks, making some Europeans anxious about the flow of refugees coming to Europe. However, most terrorist appear to be 2nd or 3rd generation migrants, making Europe’s terrorist threat mostly an home grown issue. This article tries to broaden the knowledge about home-grown radicalization in Europe by analyzing the root causes of radicalization as they are present in society, and by comparing the Dutch and Belgian society subsequently.Show less
The dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into...Show moreThe dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into the relationship between power and religion in Moroccan society. In this thesis I will examine the development of the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism in the 21st century, by analyzing the State’s utterances in the realm of Sufism within the country. In order to present an in-depth analysis, this thesis studies recent scholarly literature on this topic, as well as actual utterances of the Moroccan State in speeches and policy. Moreover, by taking into account the sociohistorical complexities of Sufism and politics in Morocco, I aim at presenting a discourse analysis that is not merely focusing on the present, but also considering the possible connections with the ‘old’ system. Drawing on Foucault’s notion of power and discourse, this thesis also aims at linking the Moroccan State’s powerful position to the discourse on Sufism. I argue that in the 21st century, the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism, or sainthood, has become more versatile and complex, due to it is entanglement with political challenges of the 21st century, and its employment under the realm of larger discourses.Show less
In the late 20th century it was thought that religion and idea of nation-state would disappear from the scene of world politics. However, the contrary process took place and neither the idea of the...Show moreIn the late 20th century it was thought that religion and idea of nation-state would disappear from the scene of world politics. However, the contrary process took place and neither the idea of the nation nor of the religion has faded away. This thesis aims to examine complex history of Islam in Georgia and recent trends in the development of nationalism and the rise of the religious affiliations amongst both Christian and Muslim Georgians. Consequently, this thesis explores the existing narratives about Georgian Muslims and finds that the notion of ‘Georgianness’ is linked to Orthodox Christianity and that this idea has a long history.Show less
Although Nigeria is becoming an important economic and political actor in the world, it is facing many security challenges. In the Middle Belt region of the country where the Christian South and...Show moreAlthough Nigeria is becoming an important economic and political actor in the world, it is facing many security challenges. In the Middle Belt region of the country where the Christian South and the Muslim North meet, exists a high level of intercommunal religious violence. While first establishing the developments that have led to this violence, this thesis looks to answer the following question: Why are some pluralistic communities in this region more prone to intercommunal religious violence than others? It does so by comparing local political systems in several LGAs (Local Government Areas) with similar ethnic-religious make-up. What has been found is that in those LGAs where a mechanism of informal local power sharing had emerged, very little to no violence took place, whereas in those LGAs where one group was in power, tensions easily turned violent. The final chapter explores what use these findings might have for conflict resolution programs in Nigeria, and Africa as a whole. Another result of the analysis is that the Nigerian situation represents the same causes as religious tensions in Europe, where the influx of Muslim migrants causes tensions. I suggest that there might be more lessons learned from Nigeria’s situation, than most people think.Show less
This research puts a focus on the presentation of the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran in contemporary schoolbooks used on primary schools in Iran in 2016. As a conclusion, I argue that the...Show moreThis research puts a focus on the presentation of the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran in contemporary schoolbooks used on primary schools in Iran in 2016. As a conclusion, I argue that the current Iranian regime legitimizes its power through a certain presentation of the modern history of Iran after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Notions of nationalism and Islam are important and point to a certain framing of descriptions around events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War and Iran's relations with the 'West'. Education therefore seems to be used as a powerful tool by the current government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.Show less
