Religious Freedom, Multiculturalism, Islam (Cross-Reading Finland and Ireland)

Abstract

In today’s world it is well known that the increasing social role of religion in society in the global and local context has made multiculturalism and religious plurality ever more important. Growing multiculturalism and multireligiosity forces the international and national communities to find some sort of minimum criteria for religious freedom. This book gives precedence to the social perspective due to the sociological nature of religion and consists of three parts. In the first part, the author discusses religious freedom and multiculturalism from a conceptual point of view within the context of Western Europe. In the second part, she explores the establishment of Muslim communities in Europe, Finland and Ireland. In the third part she analyzes Islam and education in Europe.