Muslim identity and the Balkan state

About this book

While the text is firmly rooted in the historical context, the authors concentrate on the contemporary situation of Balkan Muslim communities, their relationship with the states in which they reside, and the relationship between their ethnic and religious identities. As well as detailing the position of the large Muslim communities like the Kosovo Albanians and the Turks of Bulgaria, the book also details the current situation of less-known Muslim communities like the Pomaks who have rarely been studied. In addition, special attention is given to the role of the Turkish-speaking and other Muslims in the Balkans. As many of the latter are or perceive themselves to be Turks, the book also looks (by way of comparison) at the relation between Islam and ethnicity among Turkish Muslims in Western Europe - especially in Germany and the Netherlands. From a variety of angles, the book thus offers a rare study of the current situation of different Muslim communities living in the volatile Balkans.