PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Due to its international importance Islam has become a very desired object of the scholarly studies. The current interest in Islam reminds us of El Dorado. This article aims at providing orientation in the jungle of fieldwork-based studies regarding the subject of Islam/Muslims in Germany. One crucial point in the scholarly work is the attempt to position Islam in relation to modernity. The question is quickly translated into politics: are Muslims able and willing to be integrated? This report on the academic literature wants, for one, to give an overview of the main approaches. At the same time, some empirical results will be presented. In addition, attention is directed to problems with this research. The difficulties are mostly based on interpretations that too quickly attempt to view Muslims in terms of theories of modernization and individualization. At the same time, this indicates that the cultural background of the researchers may have implications of its own for the interpretations suggested. The author pleads finally to consider the contemporary effects of modernity and the obstinacy of religious patterns in a common framework without reducing either to the other.